From bestselling author L.J. Shen, comes a new, standalone, contemporary romance. “BEST BOOK OF 2018!” – Sophie, Bookalicious Babes Blog.“Honestly the best novel L.J. has written to date.” – Ratula, Bookgasms Book Blog. Roman ‘Bane’ ProtsenkoNaked surfer. Habitual pothead. A con, a liar, a thief and a fraud.Last I heard, he was extorting the rich and screwing their wives for a living.Which is … the rich and screwing their wives for a living.
Which is why I’m more than a little surprised to find him at my threshold, looking for my friendship, my services, and most puzzling of all—looking humbled.
Thing is, I’m on a boycott. Literally—I cut boys from my life. Permanently.
Problem is, Bane is not a boy, he is all man, and I’m falling, crashing, drowning in his sweet, perfect lies.
Jesse Carter
Hot as hell, cold as ice.
I wasn’t aware of her existence until a fat, juicy deal landed in my lap.
She’s a part of it, a little plaything to kill some time.
She is collateral, a means to an end, and a side-bonus for striking a deal with her oil tycoon stepdad.
More than anything, Jesse Carter is a tough nut to crack.
Little does she know, I have the teeth for it.
*This book contains material that might be offensive for some or elicit a strong emotional response.
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Great storyline, original, and intense! Readers will adore LJ Shens latest page turner!
I’m a huge LJ Shen fan!! The last Sinners of Saint book is HERE! Angsty new adult at its finest!
She never fails me! Since the first book I read by her, SPARROW, through all the hotholes, and now to Bane, LJ Shen continues to astonish us with her original storytelling, unique voice and the riveting characters she painstakingly draws. BANE only reiterates Shen’s talent for writing books that addict, captivate and never let you go.
Heck yeah! I love LJ’s books and this one did not disappoint!!!! <3
A sexy, angsty enemies to lovers story!!
Talk about ANGST! LJ is the queen of enemies to lovers and I am in love with each and every one of them! Don’t hesitate – just dive in. You’re going to love it!
Holy crap, can LJ Shen write a book! This was angsty perfection!
Angsty new adult!
Just when you think you know what to expect, LJ Shen throws you a curve ball that hits you right in the heart. Bane is a heartbreaking, gut wrenching and soul stealing emotional ride that will leave you breathless. Shen writes heroine’s with backbones of steel and heroes you can’t help but fall for. Bane is an absolutely unforgettable love story. Prepare yourself for an epic book hangover.
Um, why am I in love will Bane now? That escalated quick.
GAH! LJ SHEN!!! Enemies to lovers at its best. Angst like only she brings. Amazing.
Bane is my favorite so far of L.J. Shen gripping Todos Santos series. I loved his character and dilemma, and the hot sexual healing that was the glue pulling this couple together. Glad to see there are more in this series!
3.75 rating
As much as I absolutly love LJ’s writing style, her in your face ass-hole characters, and her nasty smutty scenes… I still found the story line of this one a little hard to stomach at times. On one hand; because it’s a tale of triumph, love blossomed from the worst of cirucimstances, and overcoming a life trial that would and has broken people beyond compare, I loved it. Then on the other hand; there was so much rape, horible parents who not only turn a blind eye but also put their own sicknesses before anyone or anything else, that I struggled through parts.
A part of me felt like Shen had already covered so many rich family skelletons with the other Sinners of Saint books, that with Bane she dug up the nastiest grossness that she posibly could just she could to cover a new angle of Todos Santos. I’m torn between loving the fact that she was brave enough to cover such uglienss that our world is sadly no stranger to, and hating the fact that she intertwined the ugliness into so many characters. This book left me to wallow as an emotional basketcase, I felt attached to each character and completely engrossed… yet this is the lowest rating I’ve ever given a Shen book. That’s how confused and torn I am after reading it!
Jesse is on the brink of turning 20. She’s a complete hermit, and for good reason. She was gang rapped in high school by her boyfriend and a couple of his friends. They beat her within an inch of her life and carved the word ‘slut’ into her stomach. Through out the book she see’s her therapist, and has nightmares that slowly reveal another dark secret from her past that she’s repressed… again for good reason.
Bane himself is the product of rape. His was conceived in Russia by means of attack, and his mother moved to the states to raise him alone. Bane is known as the ultimate man-whore of Todos Santos. He’s built a chain of businesses from the ground up, and made a name for himself both as the town bad-ass and the prostitute. Rich families pay him for sexual favors, because, well, he keeps his mouth shut and delivers the ‘goods’ that he has to offer… in epic proportions, if you catch my drift. He’s sexy, powerful, well-equipt, and he doesn’t give a shit about his reputation. In fact he loves being what and who he is.. until Jesse comes along.
Bane goes to Jesse’s step dad with a business investment proposal. The old oil tycoon is eger to throw money at Bane’s vision of a surf community on one condition. That condition is that he helps Jesse, his step daughter, come out of hiding and learn how to function in society again. At first it seems that his intentions are pure, as he puts a clause in the contract that Bane sticks strickly to friendship. He’s not to touch Jesse, just befriend her and teach her how to function amongst regular people again.
Once the contract’s ink is dry, Bane jumps right in by learning Jesse’s running routine, along with when she sees her shrink and her elderly neighbor, as those really are the only times she steps out of the confinement of her bedroom. As he inserts himself into her life, and pulls her out of her shell things spiral. The emotions and energy between them are feirce, and circumstances around them unfold into much more than what things seemed at first.
Ultimately, I’ll surely be reading more of LJ Shen’s work (propbably every book she ever writes, because I really am a huge fan of her style), but, so far this one is my least favorite of her works.
First love + angst?! Yessss! BANE is here!
Ahhh, I just LOVE L.J. Shen’s writing SO much! Another juicy, angsty, enemies-to-lovers romance from this incredible author. Definitely a must read!
“How could he break something that was already broken?”
Color me #WhollyTrulyMadly in love with Bane and the author who created such perfection. No, Bane is not perfect, but this story is. It’s the journey from broken and what it takes to become whole that’s so inspiring. “Life is about looking at yourself in the mirror without flinching.”
I met Bane in Scandalous, and though he was not a #HotHole, I really hoped the author would give him his own story. I’m so glad that she did. I knew that he was blond, tanned, sexy and badass, but I had no clue what was he was hiding beneath his tattoos, manbun, and beard. There’s so much more to him than I was expecting and I really enjoyed getting to know the naked surfer.
Jesse is the princess in this fairytale. Her father always told her, You don’t need a prince, princess. You need a sword.” But sometimes life is hard and it gets you down. She was surviving, but not living… until Bane. He appeared in her life out of nowhere and forced her to wake up from the fog she’d been living in. He kept pushing and pushing, forcing her to fight back. Bringing out the fire inside her that had been smothered. Making her feel after being numb for so long. She knew he was trouble from his reputation to his lies, but still, she found herself trusting him more than most.
After worming his way into her life and convincing her to talk to him he thought he had it all figured out. He thought wrong. She turned the tables on him. She stole from the thief. She made him rethink his priorities and his future. He was the villain in this fairytale but he was ready to hand her his sword.
Have I confused you yet? I wish I could explain it to you, but there’s so much to these amazing characters that you need to learn for yourself. I promise you won’t regret it. You need to dive into the abyss with them and join the fight as they deal with their pain, their pasts, their secrets and the chemistry that consumes them. It’s heartbreaking and breathtaking. It’s passionate and suspenseful. It’s sad and sweet. It’s…everything. I loved it. I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next, she never disappoints. The line forms here…
6 WhollyTruelyMadly stars
I’ve never been this nervous writing a review, and that’s cause my mind’s buzzing with so many thoughts, so many memorable lines, so many impactful words, flying around in my brain. I’m supercharged and super emotional at the moment. This book is like an adrenaline rush, a 5 hour energy boost. I’m elated, electrified and horny for BANE. And a little Lady boner may have popped for Jesse. *Awkward*!!!!
Barrrrron Vicious Spencer, honey….sweetie, my throbbing clit now safely belongs to Roman “Bane” Protsenko and we shall live Happily Ever After
About the Book:
It’s written with so much slapstick humour. I was laughing at facetious, quick witted dialogues. The banter was rich and piquant. The emotions though that peeked out from beneath were swirling and deep like the ocean Bane surfs in. Very deep thoughts, memorable lines and very impactful style. The scenes are intricately linked and every character and setting is there to enhance the story forward. Be it the Garden Maze, Pushkin’s tattoo, Shadow, Cafe Diem or the Red shiny apple! I had to read each and every word acutely, Leigh gave me no reason to skim or skip. Sex scenes were the hottest, in fact a sneaky reader got very excited reading it
IT’S HER BEST BOOK YET !
About the story :
First chapter and my heart dropped to my knees. My soul just crumbled and I fell down, as a reader , as a woman. The worst nightmare now begins. Jesse is hiding because of The Incident . The Princess has had her knees chopped off, her sword wrangled from her and now she delves only in the Dark Guilt Cave, like an Ugly Beast.
Everyone in town heard a version or two of my story. I was the town’s slut. Jezebel. The whore of Babylon. I’d asked for it, so they’d given it to me.
I don’t date.
I don’t do boys.
I’m The Untouchable.
Then comes a Charlatan Knight riding on a Metal Beast, pretending to salvage a wreck of a person. The Princess is rightfully wary and recoils.
Because the Knight is hiding too, behind the Beard and Tattoos.
They’re both Broken, Betrayed and Beleagured.
The most unusual of the coupling of characters, if there ever was one. Opposites attract and such, but this isn’t a fairytale or a Hearts and Flowers Love story to begin with!
The Princess doesn’t need a Prince to save her from the Dragons, she needs a mighty Sword . Cause THIS PRINCESS will save HERSELF and maybe the Prince in the process too !
A very strong message, that I heard, was that your past doesn’t define you and tragedies and mishaps may scar you, but there’s nothing a Loving tattoo cannot cover. Incidents you can’t control, you CAN however control the Recovery !
Let go of the past. It’s no longer yours,
About the characters :
#ViciousDethroned That should sum it up.
BANE has arrived and how !! A Surfing God who makes even Vicious nervous a tad, even though Baron may deny. He’s a Sexual Plumber a dick for hire
The liar. The con. The thief. The escort. his smirk, blond hair and green eyes are his weapons he uses to charm panties off of women. He’s like a force of nature that stormed into my heart and just squatted there, evicting Vicious Spencer with a mighty shove and huge, thick, long #Cock ! (cause a dick like that should have it’s own #)
The story has an entire album of sick people – Emery, Nolan, Henry, Darren and manipulative bitches like Mayra and Pam and there’s the Alpha Jerk -Bane. And in the midst of it all is the shackled Princess.
I understood why Snow White had fallen for the trap. But I was standing right in front of my very personal witch, refusing to make the same mistake.
I was totally submerged in the story. My head, my heart, my soul, empowered by the strength of Jesse The Warrior Princess. Sure Bane made my panties wet and my toes curl, with his deep voice telling me ,…jesse, exactly how he’s gonna make me, ….jesse come and what he’ll do to me,…jesse *stupid autocorrect* in bed. The scene in the storage room in the Cafe might have smoked my vibrator …..or two, BUT the heroine just totally had me awestruck ! Very rarely do we see the heroine having balls bigger then the Hero.
Leigh’s Distressed Damsel doesn’t need saving by the Knight, she just needs the Knight to stand with her and hold her sword, if she gets tired for a bit.
The princess’sword was bloody.
But she refused to tuck it back in.
She wanted to leave a trail of their misery behind her, so they could always find her.
Besides the “Pounding like the Pavement” sex and “running down the leg” orgasms, there’s a lot of Respect founded. Firstly for the character of Jesse and secondly for the creator Leigh. I don’t know what her springboard was for her heroine, but the handling of the delicate subject matter with humour and utmost reverance (what a combo ) is what I LOVED about this book.
My heart was an animal, caged and suppressed and angry. It was hungry. Restless. Out for blood . And I was going to feed it, because new Jesse died. Her quiet, submissive corpse was left on the cool sand of the beach the evening I’d had the flashback.
Through the viciously tragic war that Jesse fights, against her will, twice, an ambushed battle that leaves her broken, scarred and almost dead, Leigh kept her girl strong and fighting till the last of the demons were vanquished and all the villains slain, victory bugle at the end of the battle sounded real sweet because the Princess was standing equal shoulder length to the Proverbial Prince!
Just for that , this book receives an extra star
I have to mention something here- the scene in the police station, where Jesse does Line-up ID, that was brilliant. She gives herself a moment of madness without the crutch of Bane holding her up. It’s like she needs a private moment to give Old Jesse a closure before she strengthens herself as the New Jesse! Very noteworthy scene!
About the Author:
Leigh enamoured me with Troy Brennan in her Sparrow. I had found a new author to salivate over. Her subsequent books have always been written well with lots of slapstick humour and characters were alpha HotHoley type. Her book covers are stuff for Spank Banks and if I was younger, those posters would be adorning my walls. She has got the pulse of the market pretty much figured out, so I doubt she needs me fawning over her books much, but I am a loyal Leigh-gioner. Having said that, I also have a moral duty as a reader to tell her where she lacked in a couple of her previous books and she’s never held it against me. Which shows me her maturity and her graciousness that sets her apart.
Also I maybe a bit horny for her cause she’s so pretty
“what’s the antonym of hate?”
“LEIGH SHEN.”
I love ya princess, I love your men, I love your books, I love your humble heart and I love that you allow me to be your fan!
I love all of LJ’s books. This is one of my favorites. Bane is the ultimate combination of slacker, bad boy, thief, charmer, and sex god. One of my all-time book boyfriends.
I love a good story about a broken girl who kicks ass and makes a comeback..and Jesse Carter does just that and then some! After reading Scandalous, I was excited to meet the real Bane, but seriously wasn’t sure that I would like him. Let the record show…I cannot get enough Bane!!! This story Is. Everything! It’s emotional, raw, and full of angst – all of the FEELS!!! This book wrecked me, as in I may never recover from resulting book hangover. Read it, love it xo
Bane had me literally head-in, leave-me-be-while-I-devour-this-book because I could not put it down. I was so not prepared for the emotional ride that Jesse and Bane went through but oh man was my heart in my hand while reading. I loved Bane and Jesse, their hot chemistry and the build in their relationship.