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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***4,5 “Snowflake!!!” stars***
…MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN PLEDGED
TO THIS MEETING WITH YOU…
Another one hell of a ride by L.J. Shen!!! Wow!!!
I’m still speechless!!! And confused…
Honestly, I don’t know how to find the right words to talk about this story…
And to be totally true with you, I didn’t enjoy it as much as i wanted, and not because it wasn’t a strong story, but because i didn’t have the time to sit and read it in one breath…
And now, i feel disappointed with myself, for not reading it properly!!!
“I found you in the dirt that’s called life, and you stood out. Like an opportunity I cannot miss.”
Well, I really don’t think that i have witnessed another heroine on Mrs. Shen’s books that she was so damn tortured and bruised not only mentally, but physical as well!!! And still, this woman was so strong in her unfortunate life….
She was soooo…. deprived in every aspect of her life and it needed only a human with “bad” influence to make her feel alive!!!!
God, this girl’s case was really difficult in every aspect and for very good reasons!!!
“What would it take for you to have coffee with me?”
“For you to tell me why you want to do this.”
“I need to fix you… To. Fix. You.”
Bane as he was saying for himself, was a thief, a liar, a con… He was all of that and more… So much more… He wasn’t a good guy, but I can’t say that he was a bad guy either… He was doing no good in himself and noone else… He was craving the power and his ways to purchase his goals were a little bit unorthodox… but i told you that he was doing bad mostly to himself….
Until Jesse came into his life as a job and she became mush more than that…
“The liar. The con. The thief. The escort.
I wore many hats, playing people like they were my favorite instrument. They say you win some, you lose some, but the latter, I’d never really experienced. Not until I’d gained something that actually mattered.
Fuck it. I would lose my pants, and my properties, and my business, but not her. Not Jesse.”
To be totally honest here, Jesse needed someone to save her… Hmmm… Not save her exactly….
She was needed someone to pull her out of her shell and show her that she can face the world again… To stop hiding and punishing herself for something that wasn’t her fault…
She was never expecting this person to be the famous Roman “Bane” Protsenko…
He was just too much… from every aspect…
“Stop doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Offer me hope. Faith is a dangerous thing. It drives you to try, and when you try, you fail.”
Bane and Jesse were met for a reason, but not for what they really thought…
They needed each other to start live… To let go of the ghosts of their pasts…
And to build together something new….
The road wasn’t easy and it was full of bumps… Ugly bumps…
But together they could be stronger than before…
“Maybe love was about breaking so the person you cared for would feel a little more whole.” {Bane}
“We weren’t a boy and a girl. We were two lonely, fucked-up souls. It made wanting Bane in my life acceptable. I wanted him to fix me…
I needed him to remind me how to breathe.” {Jesse}
I don’t know what more to say about this book than that for once again, L.J. Shen talked in my heart and i loved and this story as much as her previous…
“Falling in love is when you lose yourself slowly, piece by piece.
Infatuation is when you lose yourself all at once.
Love is like ivy. It wraps around you, chokes every part of you quietly.
It is not patient, or kind, or gentle. It is needy, cunning, and suffocating.”
I will only add that there weren’t only good people in here amd they were a lot…
But there were also bad people with very sick minds that made me very unhappy…
But all the stories has their villains and this one wasn’t an exception…
“If you get into this girl’s life, you cannot leave without a trace. You know that. Right, Roman?” {Bane’s mother, Sonya}
“You don’t need a prince, princess. You need a sword.” {Jesse’s father, Artem}
I also loved seeing people that i already knew… I can’t wait for the spin off series…
I’m so curious and so damn exciting!!!!
“Where have you been before? When I was lost. When I was a monster. When nothing made sense. Where have you been all my life?”
“I was right here. Waiting for you.”
I’m madly in love with this series. The series about the parents and the series about their kids. I can’t put them down. I can’t wait to get my hands on every book this author has written. So glad the cover of Broken Knight caught my attention.
Bane is the fourth book in the Saint of Sinners Series by L.J. Shen.
“It was a siren with coal black hair who robbed me of riding the biggest wave I’d seen that summer. Of my precious attention. Of my godd*mn breath.”
Leigh nailed it. This book was poetically beautiful. It is aesthetic. This book was sexy and a little dark yet still so romantic.
“Perfectly gorgeous. Perfectly damaged. Perfectly ruined.”
Roman “Bane” Protsenko is raw, blunt, rough, nonchalant, and so sexy. He is dubbed a bad boy and he lived up to his name in many ways. Yet you can’t take away how much he respects and love his mother and his friends. Jesse Carter is broken, lonely and absolutely craves to find herself back to society.
“He wanted me to feel empowered. And that’s what I was going to be.”
Bane absolutely pushes Jesse pass her limits to show her that she can be normal. He was unapologetic about his actions because he knows that Jesse does not need a Prince Charming; she can save herself with just a little push. Bane was the perfect mixture of being a sweetheart and bad. Jesse was a beautiful human being that just needed a little extra nudge to being her courageous and amazing self.
“You don’t need a prince, princess. You need a sword.”
Bane and Jesse were perfection for each other. They went full on for each other. They were up front about everything and accepted each other. This was an absolute love. This book was everything and I was sad that this was the last one in the series. Leigh, you have my heart.
“Snow White had woken up, and a prince was on his way, probably riding in a white Tesla. There was always a f*cking prince to rain on a villain’s parade.”
Bane is now my favorite of this series !
He’s not the typical hot hole, maybe that’s because he isn’t part of their group really .. which did make me question why this one is actually part of the series , but we do see vicious and Edie throughout the story and it’s the same town ..which I guess is why ..
Also BANE Os a bad ass tough guy – liar, thief and escort . But under that tough exterior he is smart and loyal and has a big heart
Jesse has had a rough start in life . She’s lost and broken and although Bane encourages her out of hiding she finds her strength and is her own hero ! (Not a spoiler as we are told she was going to be her own hero right at the start )
I loved seeing her growth throughout the story ! And I loved how bane, despite being new to the feeing stuff and relationships was able to love her and support her!
Plus there was some hot as hell chemistry between them !!
It was a
Mixture of slow burn and forbidden love and was just a great read !!!!!
It could be read as a stand alone but to get a full understanding of the town and the side characters I’d recommend reading the whole series ! You won’t be disappointed !!
INTENSELY BEAUTIFUL!!!
Wow. Just… WOW!
This is the deepest read by L.J. Shen I’ve ever read and I’m still reeling from it.
I was moved by it and consumed by it.
A truly breathtaking story I won’t soon forget.
I’ve recently finished the entire series in a marathon! Though I thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them, I’ve decided to leave my review for the last book as a summary of my thoughts for the whole series. This is my first exposure to LJ Shen’s works and I was blown away! LJ has a captivating way of telling stories, each is full of twist and turn and surprise elements. I ended up devouring the whole series during the holiday! What I love most about this series is that every single book has touched multiple aspects of current social and family issues: domestic violence/child abuse (Vicious), alcohol and drug addiction (Ruckus), mental health problem (Scandalous), and child molestation (Bane). My most favorite heroine would be Jesse in Bane! I cried for her, cheered for her along the way, and toward the end, I wanted to scream out loud “You go girl! Good for you and I’m so proud of you!” I went through all sort of emotions with this book: anger, frustration, sorrow, joy, euphoria… Jesse has come out as a strong and independent young lady despite all the tragedies in her early years. LJ did a fantastic job in leading us through the development of Jesse and Bane’s relationship. It’s gone so smooth, so natural and just simply beautiful. Even though I loved the Four Hot Holes and admired their brotherhood, Bane was somewhat different from these guys, more real… I’d say, and that made me adore him even more: he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth, grew up without a father in the picture, and really had to work hard to make his way through life. Jesse and Bane crossed paths and somehow changed the other as well as themselves for the better. I have to say this book is easily in the top 5 read for me this year (I’ve gone through more than 50). My next favorite in the series would be Vicious. He was so dark, ruthless, yet so powerful and extremely smart, while Emilia was almost the opposite with her gentleness and kindness. Opposites attract, and it was wonderful to see the sparks flying between them, even after 10 years!
Overall, it has been an exceptional series to read and think over. I’m so elated to find out there will be a spinoff series about their children and can’t wait to revisit these characters as parents. I just can’t recommend these books highly enough! I just downloaded every single book from LJ and look forward to her future outstanding stories.
~4.5 stars
What do you get when an author pours her heart into a book all while stepping outside of her normal?
Bane.
You get everything this book is and then some.
“I was the guy everyone knew, and she was a ghost desperate to be forgotten.”
This book had several of my favorite things in it. There was angst, emotional wreckage, and glorious torture that is a slow burn romance. When you have all of those together it is heaven for me packaged into one amazing story. I even laughed a little and that was a nice surprise.
“Snow White waited for the prince. You’ll be the one saving yourself in this story.”
Bane was not perfect but he also wasn’t all that bad. There is only a select few that see the “not all bad” part but it’s still there. I love how strong Jesse is in this book. She is the type of heroine that I love. These two had explosive chemistry and t was from page one till the very end. I don’t think I will be forgetting about these two for a very long time.
“Don’t fuck with me. I fuck harder. Comes with the territory of doing it for a living.”
This book surprised me. I was expecting something different but not this. I loved that I was wrong. I loved what she gave us. I have a couple a favorite heroes from this author but man did Bane give them a run for their money. There is Vicious and there is Troy, my number one and my number 2. Bane is probably going to be number 3 but man it was a close one for him.
This was good overall, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would based on how many people said this book/hero was their favorite. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars.
I loved Jesse. My heart went out to her, and everything she endured. I won’t spoil anything, but damn, life had dealt her a rough hand. I wasn’t surprised by the “twist” in this book, and actually I called it a ways back. If you’re easily triggered by darker topics, read with caution, or steer clear of this book. I think Jesse might be my favorite heroine from this author so far.
And then we have Bane. We met him in the previous book where he was friends, and the sometimes f*ck buddy/bf, of Edie. I didn’t mind him in that book, but I wouldn’t say I loved him. And while I liked him in this book, I wouldn’t say I loved him here either. I guess I had high expectations after hearing everyone gush about him.
The plot was interesting, and I can’t believe I’m finally done with the Sinners of Saints series. I feel like I just started it last week; although I did binge these way faster than I normally would a full series. I’m beyond excited to read the spin-off series: All Saints High. Bring some more of this anti-hero goodness my way!
Reading Bane was a pleasure! 5 stars
This book was a pleasure to read, even when it was heart-wrenching! My heart broke for Jesse – what she went through and how it changed her. Her journey in this book was magnificent. She went from a numb, closed down girl to a figurative sword-wielding goddess. By the end, when she got her justice, I actually applauded! Roman’s, nickname Bane, journey was amazing as well. He went from only caring about his businesses and surfing to realizing what it meant to fall in love and fight for it. He was the bane (dangerous trouble) of everyone else’s existence to a point. But he was also protective of the few he loved or cared about. The way he helped Jesse find her inner strength then fall in love with her was beautiful to read. I highly recommend this book, and as I keep saying, read this Sinners of Saint series!
Oh my sweet Lord, I FINALLY finished this series!
Now, don’t mistake my joy for an indication that I didn’t like it. On the contrary. I have cherished every single MOMENT of reading the Sinners of Saint Series by Miss Leigh Shen. It’s been a REVELATION. From the first page of Vicious to the very last page of Bane, it’s been an amazing ride.
I’m almost glad I’ve been slow reading lately!
Bane was a flat-out awesome book. It was just wonderful, and I can’t even really explain just how much I loved it without straying far off topic, so here’s what I’ll say…
I originally was reticent going into this book. I knew about the Four HotHoles of Todos Santos. I fell in love with each of them in Vicious and all the feels just grew from there. So when it came time to read Bane, I was wondering where exactly he would fit into all of it. He wasn’t a HotHole. He had very little to do with them at all, other than growing up in the same town, and dating Trent’s wife before she was Mrs. Rexroth.
And then I started reading. And I got it.
Bane is like the bridge between Sinners of Saint and All Saints High. The two series; two generations. The HotHoles and the TotHoles. And let me tell you, he did a bang up job!
I think Bane was one of my favorite characters in any book in a while. I loved him so hard, in such a different way than the other book boyfriends. He’s not like Vicious, or Trent. Maybe he’s like a combo of Jaime and Dean, but that’s just me rambling lol. Anyway, I loved him. His humor, his whittiness, his carefree attitude… which all goes right out the window when he meets Jesse.
One of my favorite things about romance is the butterfly feeling of reading the hero’s POV, when he starts acting like a total dork over the girl he’s unexpectedly falling for. The smooth-talking womanizer, who’s never been choked up before… Never been in love before. He starts to fall for this girl and makes an ass of himself in the process. It’s one of the most adorable, redeeming qualities in any book boyfriend. This was my favorite part of Bane. His inner monologue was nothing shy of brilliance.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved Jesse. She was a badass, and she truly did save herself in the end (with the support of her man, which is all we can ever ask for, right ladies?) This book dealt with a lot of very heavy stuff. And as usual, LJ Shen gave us the nitty gritty in a pure, raw yet respectable way. Listen, not everything in life is rainbows and butterflies. The shit that’s in this book happens every day, and that’s scary. So why not read about a boss bitch who resurrects herself and exacts revenge on the scumbags who tried to ruin her?
Anyway, I knew I’d get off topic with this review. It’s sort of my thing… lol. But all I wanted to say was that I loved every single characteristic of Bane, and I’m very glad to have read this book.
And now… FINALLY… I get to the next step. I’m so excited I’m ready to burst out of my skin!
Thank you Leigh Shen for writing one of the best series I’ve ever read! Applause for eternity!
This book was definitely different from the rest of the Sinners of Saint books. Many twists I wasn’t expecting. The princess saves herself in this fairytale and she was kickass! Loved it!
Ohhhh…. There aren’t enough words to describe how much I loved this book!!
Bane the perfect HotHole, all alpha male hotness and attitude. I love how he made something out of himself, life isn’t always pretty but he never gave up…. And then there’s Jesse, who basically gets the short end of every stick. I’m so happy with the way her journey ends.
I rooted for Bane and Jesse more than any other couple so far. They are the perfect blend of love and real life, it’s not always easy but it’s worth it.
Another awesome 5 star read!! Can’t wait for more HotHoles!!!
Forth book of “Sinners of Saint” series is like return to the past and go to the future.
L.J. Shen wrote this book different than previous books in series. We have two awesome and sympatehtic characters. Bane is a naughty guy with surfboard. He is confident, and he has a dream with SurfCity, but unfortunately he dont has money for this.
Jesse is a smart girl, but she is also quiet and shy, because of past and incident which had place with her.
They cant be together, but they need be. This love is hard, destructive and very, very strong.
When I read “Bane” I felt totally extreme emotions – hate, love, angry, happy… and more.
I wish to kill 4 characters in this book with no mercy!
You must read it!
And you will cry!
It is a little warning.
First and foremost, this story contains a lot of trigger warnings. Rape being a major one. It’s heavily featured in this story. There’s also other sensitive matters discussed so just a heads up. This isn’t a light, fluffy read.
I’m noticing this author’s writing tends to have a heavy, darker theme to it. Maybe it’s just this series but whew, I’m definitely out of my comfort zone here. My heart broke while reading this story. In fact I considered dropping it several times due to the disturbing story lines. Rape isn’t something I like to read about and had I know that going in, I probably would’ve skipped this one. However, this was an amazing story. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. There were several twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. It felt like a thriller instead of a romance. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely some steam in this story but there’s a much deeper story line going on.
Jesse Carter has had a very difficult life. She has been through SO MUCH in her 19 years of living. I loved how Jesse didn’t care about money. She hated how everyone was always worrying about their status and bank account numbers. In Todos Santos it’s all about reputations and money. This definitely wasn’t the place for our main character Jesse. I admired her spunk and tenacity. I also enjoyed her relationship with Bane. It felt like a completely new dynamic from what I usually read.
Roman Protsenko (a.k.a. Bane) was this guy raised by a single mom who also didn’t fit in with the glitz and the glamour of Todos Santos. While Bane was making a name for himself and climbing the ladder of success, it was more so about building a foundation for him and his mother. He put a lot of hard work into becoming successful. A lot of sacrifices were made that’s for sure.
I really enjoyed how both of our main characters had a deeper background story than most romances I’ve read. They each had significant things that happened throughout their lives. The fact that they were thrown together felt like destiny. They balanced each other out and definitely grounded one another.
Overall, this was a darker story than what I’m used to reading. I didn’t love how detailed certain aspects were but as a whole, it was a really nice read. I was quite impressed with the writing and story.
Fun fact- months ago I picked this up and couldn’t get into it. Decided to give it a second shot and loved it. This just shows that sometimes it’s you, or the timing, and not the book. I’m glad I started this again, it’s so good. Bane and Jesse are the outcasts and misfits, the untouchable and wrong. But I like Bane’s outlook that it gives them freedom to do whatever. Jesse’s story gets sadder and the things that connect them get more crazy, and it totally pulled me in.
I think my favorite thing is the way Jesse becomes her own hero. Making her own justice and happy ever after on her terms.
WOW! an amazing book.
Another beautifully written story by L.J Shen.
Bane and Jesse stole my heart and soul.
Their story is one I will not forget.
What happend to Jesse broke my heart and then more is revealed and it completely broke me, cried my heart out for her. Jesse is incredibly strong. Shen really knows how to suck you in to the characters life’s and make you feel everything.
Bane is a bit of a jerk, he lies, steals , does what he wants but deep down he has a very good heart. He has demons and struggles with them but then comes Jesse and she breakes his walls down and he helps her through her struggles too.
Bane and Jesse are amazing together, the banter, chemistry and love is off the charts.
Secrets, lies and deceit.
I LOVE THE SAINTS OF SINNER SERIES!!! LOVE!!! IT!!!!
I loved Roman “Bane” Protsenko in the middle of Trent’s and Edie’s story in SCANDALOUS….He was so laid back, and, I mean, how can you not like someone who surfs naked??? But, Bane’s life isn’t all happy beach bum and no problems….He’s a hustler and does whatever he needs to do to make money…..From, forcefully, collecting protection money, to being a male escort, a con man and a liar….and I REALLY love Bane!!!!!!
Jesse Carter’s life has just been one tragedy after another, with lots of secrets and lies and, unanswered questions…And, although, Bane meets Jesse under less than honest circumstances, he remembers her from a few years back, and her tattoo, “My Whole Life Has Been Pledged to This Meeting with You”…….He’s not letting her get away this time….PERIOD!!!! These two, together, are so smoking HOT, but, truthfully, all of the couples in this series are…..LJ Shen really knows how to write chemistry…..
BANE has some dark to it, but, as with the rest of the SINNERS OF SAINT Series, it’s so good, you HAVE to read it…..I am already looking forward to re-reading this series….AGAIN…..
This story was perfectly imperfect. I was in complete an utter awe with how strong Jesse is. After everything she went through and experienced, she came out the other end stronger than ever, finally surrounded by those who love her unconditionally. But, I was also floored and in awe to see that she didn’t let the horrific incidents define her. She was the princess with the sword.
And Bane…this man. With his tough, bad boy exterior has a soft, vulnerable side. He may have made some mistakes/bad decisions in the past, but Jesse was the best decision he ever made.
Together they bring out the absolute best in one another. Together they are exactly who they want and should be. Together they can do anything, because together there isn’t anything they can’t do. While apart they are strong and independent, together they are untouchable.
This book took me on a whirlwind of emotions. I cried, I laughed, I smiled like a loon, and I experienced the magic that was Bane and Jesse.
OMG I can’t believe I let this one sit on my Kindle unread since the day it released 🙁 WTF was I thinking?!?! I loved Bane soooo much and my heart broke for Jesse. LJ Shen took two utterly broken characters and put them together and it was phenomenal. She can write like none other. So yea, let me just say that I will NOT let her next release sit on my Kindle unread…my bad, for real!
Bane is my favorite Sinner! I love him so much. I hope we get more of him in All Saints High