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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Bane was a bit of a stray from the original hotholes of Todos Santos. Roman “Bane” Protsenko came to us from Edie and wow am I so glad he got his story!
Bane is a one of kind guy. Getting whatever he needs through whatever means necessary. He was all go no stop until he took a deal that sounded easy. Befriend Jesse Carter, a young shut in with unknown issues. Jesse has been through unbelievable traumas and is rightfully weary of everyone. With her only friends being her dog and her elderly neighbor she doesn’t get out much until Bane pumps some life back into her.
Upon giving Bane entry into her life the secrets and ties between them that unfold is amazing and horrific. Again this story was way more than I expected and again am I glad it was told. The hotholes of Todos Santos are taking over the world and I just wish there was more of them with stories to be told!
L.J.Shen has become one of my go-to authors in the past year. Her characters are consistently fascinating, the emotions are unforgettable, and Bane is a story I won’t soon forget.
“My Whole Life Has Been Pledged to This Meeting with You.
A poet. An explorer. A romantic. A culture-loving, dragon-slaying Princess. “
Bane and Snowflake. My god. When I didn’t think LJ Shen could get me crying again, (she did with Broken Knight) … she got me with Bane!!
Why?! Oh Why did I wait so long to read Bane?? I’m ashamed that I didn’t read this sooner!!
Our girl “Snow White” has had a rough life in her short 19 years of life. The brutal reality of everything she’s gone through was absolutely heartbreaking and it literally killed me in some parts to read everything that she went through. But she is a survivor.
This book was triggery in some parts for me personally.
But she slays her dragons and saves herself in this story.
“We are just a helium balloon waiting to pop, every breath bringing us a step closer.”
Bane is the mild version of The Hunter (Go read if you haven’t)
He’s the classic bad boy who’s known for sleeping around and not caring about the consequences. But deep down these boys are just broken and waiting for their queen to lift them up to be the kings that they deserve to be.
Bane totally has my heart right now. He was such an amazing and strong and hilarious character. Loyal to a fault over Jesse. Did I mention he’s Russian?!
Ugh. The relationship between the two main characters was a hard one but a beautiful one.
Well this book circled around about some dark topics but there was a lot of really hilarious banter between multiple characters that I absolutely loved. The sarcasm was classic LJ Shen.
Edie and Vicious make multiple appearances. That made me so happy!
Might I say, I literally jumped out of my chair so excited that there’s a book mentioning my hometown, San Clemente. It’s not as popular as other beach towns in Southern California like Huntington and Laguna Beach so I was overly ecstatic to see that my hometown that I was born and raised in was mentioned in an freaking book!
Oh.. and Banes’ mom.. at the end.. omg… I was cracking up! I won’t spoil anything but I did not see the ending coming at all with some of the side characters.
This book has retaliation in the best way. It does have a happily ever after.
The triggers that I would personally would’ve liked to have been prepared for would’ve been rape* and talk about abortion*. Suicide*
Lj Shen really has become my all time favorite author. Every one of her books just works it’s way into your heart. It breaks you. It makes you feel what the characters are feeling. Your heart races. Your lips tremble. You cry. You laugh. You smile. You fall in love with a fictional man.
Bane is a love story. Not your typical one though. It’s also a story of survival. Of finding yourself when everyone you trust betrays you. It’s a story of a strong woman who keeps on living even after being raped. It’s a story that makes your heart weep, knowing people get away with this stuff every day. Its a story of a girl taking back her life.
“The princess saves herself in this fairytale.”
Jesse is such a strong character. She’s been through hell. Her life is constant pain and tortured memories. The bad boy falls for the quiet girl and it’s just so perfect. The story is so amazing and I love Jesse so much.
Plus bonus, my Vicious makes a few appearances and he will always be my favorite lj Shen character.
Fifth and final book in the Sinners of Saints series. I have to admit up until book four where Bane is introduced, I wasn’t sure why he had his own book. He wasn’t part of the original cast, The Four Hotholes.
Bane could have just been his own book, and not tied into the series. Some of the originals are mentioned and Vicious of course makes his cameo. But for the most part this really didn’t have anything to do with our beloved hotholes.
That said, it was still a really great read. The book was a lot darker than the others. I suggest you tread carefully if you have triggers.
Bane is a beach bum and Jessie is a loner. This book was more about Jessie and the terrible things she has gone through. Yes Bane helped bring her back to life, but as the spoiler says: the princess saves herself in this fairy-tale and indeed she does.
Well I have done it, I have finished the Sinners Of Saint series and I loved them all Bane was the last book and while it took place in the same town and a couple characters from the previous books popped up a bit this one felt different. Not bad different (because let’s be honest at this point I don’t think LJ Shen writes anything less than amazing) just different. While Bane exuded a give no fucks attitude that I looooved I was so wrapped up in Jesse. I wasn’t prepared for her trauma but from the beginning and it was enough to break my heart wide open. This isn’t just a romance series about people falling in love, so much of it is about no matter how damaged anyone is there are things and people in this world worth putting the pieces of yourself back together for. It’s steamy and tragic and beautiful all wrapped into one and definitely going down as one of my favorites.
Roman ‘Bane’ Protsenko is first introduced in Scandalous, and I was super interested in what his story was going to be about, and it did not disappoint! He’s a bad boy, and had a very interesting journey on his rise to success.
Jesse has had a rough, heartbreaking past. She’s pretty much closed herself off from the outside world as much as she could. But she is a strong,
This book is a little dark, a lot sexy and wasn’t your typical romance where the guy saves the girl. Together, these two had an undeniable connection and attraction to each other, albeit a slow burn. Both Bane and Jesse’s character development was great to experience and seeing how they grew together in their relationship once they found themselves was beautiful. L.J. Shen’s writing was amazing as always, and it was difficult to put this book down. The plot twist though!!! Wow.
Recently read the exclusive bonus scene from L.J. Shen in her newsletter for this book and it was everything! Such a perfect ending for these two.
There is nothing I love more than strong as steel heroine in a romance. Jesse is that and so much more. Roman (aka Bane) is the perfect hero, being a self-conscious because of how he came to be – he’s just been floating thru life almost. Doing what he wants to avoid facing his own demons that haunt him. When these two come together, I loved seeing Jesse blossom…becoming the woman that she was meant to be…even after the nightmarish events that she went thru and the horrible woman that is her mother that she had to deal with. LJ talent with writing angsty, heartfelt romances that have humor sprinkled in it shines in this one. I have read (and listened to) it multiple times, never tiring of it – knowing I won’t ever get tired of reading these two’s story.
****this one does have triggers for sensitive individuals – the heroine is raped and her story will be recalled at couple of points in the story****
I really enjoyed this book. My eyes were glued to the pages from the first to the last word.
The book has an interesting plot and storyline and I liked how the characters developed through the course of the story. The characters were realistic and I could identify with them.
Every time I finally dig into an LJ Shen book I feel exhilarated and full of feels! This book was heartbreaking for me, but also viscerally strengthening for me as someone who has experienced physical trauma. I loved this book, so many beautifully broken pieces formed back together and Roman was probably Leigh’s sweetest character. He’s different, not really an asshole to the extent that the others are (make no mistake, doesn’t matter lol). Vicious will always take first, but it’s funny because I always feel guilty choosing him over any other.
Anyways, this book is a fucking triumph and I needed it.
Bane was the book I looked forward to least of all, considering the characters are not one of the main group. Somehow I think LJ Shen knew that readers would have that thought because she doubled down with this one and made it the most impacting story of the series.
Bane is Edie’s ex and friend. His focus is on surfing and using his business smarts to get into the big leagues like the Hotholes. After they turn him away and send him to another business mogul in the area, Darren, Darren and Bane make a deal: for six million, Bane will revitalize Darren’s stepdaughter, Jesse by being a friend and getting her back out in the world. The stipulation is that Bane can’t touch her.
Jesse’s story is hugely impacting. Her high school boyfriend and his friends gangraped her one night, and her parents swept it under the rug and pretended it never happened. This happened after losing her virginity to said boyfriend, but to both their surprises, she wasn’t a virgin so he used his friends to get back at her. Combine the two together, and she was deemed the town’s wh**e and never wants to go out for anything anymore. Her story is worst since she has a black spot in her memory, of a man in a room, but can’t remember anything about it.
She’s stubborn to keep Bane away and Bane is stubborn to be around her. Soon, he wins and they become friendly, friends, then more.
I loved their relationship. It had such a push-pull to it filled with angst. Bane really worked to keep them apart, until it no longer mattered. The book makes him seem like he’ll be an uncaring a**, but he’s actually super sweet and protective of her.
I would deem this easily one of the best books, probably second to Vicious.
After reading all Sinners of Saint books this week, Bane is hands down my favorite. It’s dark, it’s angsty, it’s tough subject matter, but so beautifully written you will be rooting for the happy ending! Bane who worked he was up from the gutters to be someone in town, befriends Jesse in order to get ahead in life. What he doesn’t account for is falling in love with her and losing everything in the processing. Jesse on the other hand gains everything from getting to know Bane, he gives her what she’s needed her whole life. This story, though yes it has dark subject matter, was so beautifully written from beginning to end, you won’t be able to put it down.
I didn’t expect to like the hero, but fell in love with him. Recommended.
Trigger warning: Rape
This is by far the darkest book in the Sinner of Saints series. Bane is said to be a spinoff from the series and while I do believe that it can be read without reading the other books, I still consider it a sequel.
This book takes place a year after Scandalous, in which we got introduced to Bane and whom I really enjoyed reading his parts in Trent x Edie’s story. I’m so glad that Leigh decided to write Bane’s story and it was a blast.
Of course, we follow two main characters, Bane (obviously from the title) and Jesse and Leigh done it again with character depth and relationship.
Jesse is a survivor from a traumatic experience and I loved how we got to see her journey (although most times it’s painful) to heal (which is what most of her chapters are about) and reclaim her justice from everyone who done her wrong. She is sassy and feisty (if I would say, she is a mixture of Emilia and Edie) and hates men (until she meets Bane of course).
And OH MY GOD, Bane was such an amazing character to read. I read many reviews that he is a bastard like Vicious so I was kind of expecting him to be similar to him, but I was so wrong and while I get what readers meant by them being similar I completely disagree in that aspect.
While Vicious is a savage mean bastard, Bane is a savage nice bastard and I loved that about him. He is so nice to Jesse but at the same time doesn’t treat her as a victim. He behaves his normal matter of fact self towards her and that is what she needed at that moment.
The romance was so sweet. I love how the relationship between them started as friends and then turned to something more precious. I am a friends to lovers romance so I’m biased. It was so sexy and I enjoyed every moment of it, but it wasn’t as smutty as the other books which I felt was fit for this tough book.
I also loved the secondary characters in it and I mean Hale, Gail, Brent, and Sonya (whom we saw in Scandalous and is Bane’s mother). I might be twisted in thinking this but I need a Hale book and his significant other (if you’ve read Bane you know what I mean).
Gail was such an awesome character to read and I hope that one day, Leigh will write her and Brent’s book because I think it would be really funny and cute.
The ending was just great and if you subscribe to Leigh’s newsletter, then you will be able to read the extended epilogue of Bane and it is so worth checking it out because HOT DAMN, it was amazing. And fun fact, there are FOUR chapters in this extended epilogue and you must not miss them because IT WAS THE PERFECT ENDING for their story.
The only thing I wished is if we got more screen time (or page time) with the other Hotholes and their ladies. We got to see some. Vicious, Edie, Trent and Luna scenes but I wanted more of them and Emilia, Rosie, Dean, Jaime, and Melody. But I understand why they weren’t in it because it is Jesse and Bane’s story and time to shine.
Overall, I enjoyed my time reading this book and am looking forward to reading the next generation of the series (which is All Saints High). This is a solid 4.15 star rating for me.
The problem with L.J Shen books is that I really don’t know how to write a proper review because there’s so much to say and it’s hard to express everything.
Bane was PERFECT he’s so different from the Hot-holes I was used to, he is totally amazing.
Jesse I love her, because even though she’d have it rough, and all the things she had and has to endure she is not a damsel in distress waiting for someone to save her, she is stronger that she thought she was, and Bane was just the little push she needed and Jesse was the push Bane needed because they complement each other really well.
I loved Bane, loved it ,loved it, loved it.
“Maybe love wasn’t about feeling happy and whole. Maybe love was about breaking so the person you cared for would feel a little more whole.”
It just wasn’t for me.
Young girl faced tragedy more than once. A wanna be pot smoking “gangster” comes to her rescue.. Twisted and unrealistic.
If the gang rape of a minor female bothers you, you might want to steer clear of this book. Jesse’s background is pretty terrifying. She’s been left battered and broken by men/boys throughout her life. There’s a fighting spirit left in her though.
As part of a business deal with Jesse’s shady stepfather, Bane agrees to reach out to Jesse and help her come out of her shell. In doing so, he realizes what an amazing person she is and how life changing it is to see her battle her demons and win.
LJ Shen creates two memorable characters in Jesse and Bane. There is a lot of chemistry between them. There is a lot of drama and angst in this book though that leaves the reader emotionally exhausted.
This story was gritty but also heartwarming. The characters were both so broken yet together so perfect. One not knowing he’s broken; the other not able to fix herself. Really fantastic story. I enjoyed it.
Bane is a man who doesn’t care and goes after what he wants. Jesse is shut down and doesn’t want to be touched or talked to. Bane gets a deal that he thinks will be easy and all he has to do is be Jesse’s friend and not have sex with her. Let’s see how that goes. Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended. So many dark twists and turns Amazing story.
My fave of the SOS series