NOW A TOP TWENTY AMAZON BESTSELLERRosieThey say that life is a beautiful lie and death a painful truth. They’re right.No one has ever made me feel more alive than the guy who serves as a constant reminder that my clock is ticking.He is my forbidden, shiny apple.The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth.He is also my sister’s ex-boyfriend.One thing you should know before you judge me;I saw him … thing you should know before you judge me;
I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.
Eleven years later, he waltzed into my life, demanding a second chance.
Dean Cole wants to be my bronze horseman. My white knight has finally arrived. Hopefully, he isn’t too late.
Dean
They say the brightest stars burn out the fastest. They’re right.
She sets my mind on fire.
All smart mouth, snarky attitude and a huge heart.
In a world where everything is dull, she shines like Sirius.
Eleven years ago, fate tore us apart.
This time, I dare it to try.
Getting to her is a battlefield, but man, that’s why they call me Ruckus.
Rosie LeBlanc is about to find out how hard I can fight.
And conquering her will be the sweetest victory.
Ruckus is a complete standalone and a part of the Sinners of Saint series
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Ruckus is the 3rd book in the Sinners of Saints Series. The series definitely can be read as stand-alone and you wouldn’t feel like you’ve missed anything. This series just keeps getting better. Each book may be about the same circle of people more or less but each has such a completely different story and makes you feel different emotions. LJ Shen will give you just enough of the back story of a previous character when they make a cameo.
In Ruckus we follow the story of Dean, Millie’s ex and Rosie, Millie’s little sister. Everyone has always treated Rosie so fragile but Dean wants her to feel alive. A great second chance story is what we end up with. This one made me cry but then here comes Shen with a HEA ending and another 5 star read.
Ruckus is the second book in the Sinners of Saint Series. The main characters are Rosie LeBlanc and Dean “Ruckus” Cole.
Rosie LeBlanc and Dean “Ruckus” Cole have known each other since high school. At that moment Dean choose to be with Rosie’s sister Emily in order to protect her from Vicious and his wrath. If you have read Vicious, you get to know about their story.
Rosie and Dean liked each other from the start, but life and choices made them to be apart and not act on their feelings. Ten years later, they find each other again, since their are living in the same building and Dean chooses to pursue Rosie and make his feelings known. Rosie feels guilty, because she likes Dean very much, but does not want to betray her sister, so she is a little fearful to act on her feelings. Also Rosie’s health condition makes her second think her choices.
After all they have gone through, they cleared the air between all the involved parties and gave a shot to their relationship, which was really beautiful. Until something happened, and Dean fucked up. And now I started to cry.
Dean had a hard time in trying to save his relationship with Rosie, but he succeeded. The epilogue was great and we got to see their HEA.
I liked Rosie very much, despite her health issues, she was joyful and lived the life, doing what made her happy. She is funny, sassy and a loving sister. I loved their relationship. Dean is a loyal man, I liked his interactions with Luna. I loved how he pursued Rosie, and how he treated her, with care, love but also normal, despite her sickness. He is a softy, under all his hard personality.
I would have liked to read a little bit more about them before the epilogue, maybe one small chapter. I recommend this book, because you will read about some strong characters, their love story is great and full of banter, and you will also get insights on the other HotHoles life.
Dean “Ruckus” Cole is quite the mess. His and Rosie’s story is a sad one. With her illness and his family secrets tearing him apart they need each other. He has so many demons to work through and she has her family not believing in her ability to live her life. He isn’t quite the jerk he makes himself out to be and I’m glad they gave each other the chance!
I love that each book in this series focuses on a different guy so reading about Dean was fun and had a couple twists I was not at all expecting. Like the other books this one also brings allllll the steam
OH M GEE!!! Every book I read of Leigh’s has me thinking ‘this is my new favorite’!! They are all incredible and Leigh is SO TALENTED. I can’t get enough.
It was great to get to know Dean and Rosie-Bug. Although I feel frightened to read Broken Knight!! I am expecting a sob fest and my own heart to be broken too. Its crazy, I felt like Dean was infatuated with em when I read Vicious, but clearly things are not always as they seem. I re-read Vicious after this one and things made a lot more sense to me.
We meet Rosie and Dean in Vicious. Dean knew he wanted Rosie the minute he saw her. But things didn’t work out as planned and he ended up updating Rosie’s older sister Emilia instead. Rosie’s heart broke every time she saw them together, but she stayed strong and supported her sister. Dean dated Emilia because he thought it would save her from being in Vicious’ bullying line of sight.
Ten years later, they’ve both been living in New York but don’t realize it until they’re both living in the same apartment building. They have this undeniable connection and even though what goes on between the two is somewhat forbidden, they first rekindle their friendship and eventually their feelings towards one another.
Rosie is the complete opposite of her older sister. Everyone thinks she is selfish and naive, but really she is strong; one of the strongest characters I think I’ve ever read. She’s been battling an illness her entire life and is trying to live independently, but the big city life is hard on her health. When she realizes Dean Cole is living in the apartment upstairs, she knows that she needs to stay away from him because if she doesn’t then he will break her even more.
There is so much more to Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole than what meets the eye. Sure, he’s a HotHole, a playboy, power hungry, has demons he’s dealing with that cause him to turn to alcohol and he’s made mistake after mistake, but behind the asshollness deep down he has a huge heart, a heart that is only for Baby LeBlanc and nothing will stand in his way of reeling her in and keeping her forever.
This second chance romance completely stole and broke my heart. There was so much complexity to the characters’ relationship and it was so well written, and the plot twist!! Didn’t see that coming. Gah, Dean and Rosie’s relationship… is everything. As heartbreaking as their story is, their love is unconditional and beautiful. This book is definitely high up on my favorites list.
This is one book that I love, have read (and listened to) it multiple times – each time, LJ still succeeds at pulling me into the world of the Hot Holes. Dean aka Ruckus is the “goofy stoner/manwhore” of the group but he’s hiding so much pain under the exterior that he portrays to everyone….that is until Rosie. This girl….I don’t know where to begin with her. Out of all the books I have read, Rosie is still my all-time favorite heroine. She strong, so darn strong, brave, and resilient. I loved how Rosie helped Dean to heal his inner demons and I loved how Dean didn’t treat her like she was fragile even if she is sick. These two make each other so much stronger and the way their story unfolded, it clenches me every single time. Rosie and Dean are the perfect match, and this story is everything a fictionalized, modern romance should be – I love it more and more each time I read it.
I love these characters. I am seriously so attached to them. Just fyi. For the future, ya know.
Fucking hell, what a ride! Ya know, I’ve been sitting on this book for so long and I’ve no clue why! I loved Vicious *be still my heart* but Dean, a.k.a. Ruckus was definitely a hot hole superstar. Now now, Vicious is still my number one, it I’d be lying if I said I didn’t LOVE Ruckus. Just wow. I was so pissed off at him and so swoony with him and he SLAYED ME. I mean, he was definitely a prick , lol. More so perhaps than Vicious, but I digress. I mean, Rosie was such a beautifully strong soul and LJ wrote her so well that I just fell for her too. So, when Ruckus screwed her over, it was like a poison-tipped arrow to the heart! Let’s just be clear, he fucked under a more dire situation. Soooo, there’s that. Still though! His tenderness and love really gave a sweet tooth and gahhhhhh that epilogue! Before I read that, I had TEARS POURING DOWN KY FACE!
*cue ugly cry*
Point is….this book is EVERYTHING!
What I initially found interesting in Vicious, is that there was such a large point about Dean’s anger toward Vicious about dating Millie, Dean’s ex, and being with her in his apartment. The whole ex-girlfriend thing. Which I get, but despite the loss not being great for either of them, the author did make it a thing in that book. In this one, we get a totally different story in which I don’t see why he would even have cared. From the very beginning, it was always Rosie. Even with Millie, it was Baby LeBlanc he wanted. I just found all this a little bit inconsistent.
But the rest, I have zero complaints about! LJ Shen gives more hot sex, deep characters, and a love story to fawn over.
First, Dean and Rosie are both amazing characters. While Dean projects one thing, he has a backstory so deep. The author did a great job fleshing this out and linking it with the present and main plot. Rosie is a girl with a life-threatening illness, but it never stops her from doing what she wants. More of her illness is revealed as the book progresses.
They have an amazing romance that really started back in high school, but never had a chance to actually happen. So while there’s a bit of push back from Rosie at first, it doesn’t drag, since they book soon realize what they’ve always felt for one another. This leads to crazy hot sex, and a romance so sweet I cried. Literally. Especially toward the end.
This is a story of true love; of the ups and downs, and what love should look like. Dean was there for her in (almost) every moment of the book, and cared for her when she needed help.
I love this series and bring on Trent’s book!
Ruckus is Dean and Rosie’s story, it’s full of chaos, pushes and pulls. it’s unpredictable and so tragically beautiful. You will fall in love with Dean and the way he takes care of Rosie. Not so much in the beginning of their lives, but circumstances arise and things happen. So beautifully written, I found Rosie to be one of the strongest female characters I’ve read about in a long time. She’s suffers through so much personally but never lets it get her down, or get in her way. Dean is chaos and will do whatever it takes to win Rosie’s heart even after she says she doesn’t give it away. So far my favorite Sinners of Saint book!
Love this story! Rose is relatable and Dean is beautifully damaged and their love story is tragic and fantastic. Shen has become my new favorite writer! And this is my favorite cover so far…so hot!
This book was so amazing!!!!! I still like Vicious more but this book is so close and I JUST CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!! It gets a 4.25 stars from me!!!! While I loved Vicious more, I actually finished Ruckus faster (basically I binge read it) so that says a lot of how good it is.
This book is even more steamier than Vicious and I was HERE FOR IT. I did not know how the relationship between Rosie and Dean would go but I was so sure it would be done splendidly and I was right and it even blew my expectations.
Both of the main couples in this book were deep in character and both were struggling with their own darkness. Rosie with her illness and Dean with his own (which I won’t even hint because it is better going through the journey to discover it). I love how they tell their darkness to each other and still they stick to each other strongly, like RELATIONSHIP GOALS (Vicious and Emilia are amazing couples but are a different relationship goal)!!!!!!
Rosie was a very unique character to read. Usually when I read a sick character, they are usually tired, chill, or something like that but NOT ROSIE. She is as feisty as her sister, maybe even more (screw it, it is more) and I had fun reading from her perspective and driving Dean nuts!!!!!
Dean was not what I was expecting at all. In Vicious, we see him as this funny guy but as you read Ruckus, you get to know him even more. I think in my opinion that he is like Vicious but the only difference between them is that Dean hides his assholeness with a polite manner and a smile on his face which I feel it’s worse because the more bottled up the emotion, the worse the explosion (at least Vicious takes it all out even though it is not always the best to do so like with the Emilia case).
Speaking of Vicious and Emilia, we got to see them too and how their relationship progress and I am just so happy for them and their journey. Vicious is an amazing husband to Emilia but he still has his attitude towards the rest and J can’t say I dislike it because there are some parts of him being an ass that made me laugh out loud especially the long text which he sent to Dean and if you’ve read the book, you know what I’m talking about and if you haven’t, then be prepared to laugh too (IT WAS GOLD)!!!!!!!!
We also get to see more of Trent and his daughter Luna and she is just so adorable. I want to squeeze her into a teddy bear hug because she is a special little bean!!!!! We also got to see more of what Trent is going through which breaks my heart but got me more excited to read his book next!!!!!!
There is even a plot twist which took me by surprise. There is a plot line which I thought would go this way but it completely went into another direction and my emotions were all over the place by the time I’ve read it. MY POOR BABY!!!!!!
I loved how the book ended. It had that same sense of humor and heartwarming feels I got when I’ve read the epilogue of Vicious and I am looking forward to read the next book as soon as I can.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and L.J. Shen is slowly but surely becoming one of my all time favorite romance author. I want to read all of her books now!!!!!
Dean Cole… He’s awesome and great, I mean he’s and a*hole too but he is so different from Vicious.
I love the story between him and Rosie they were always meant to be, but sometimes life interferes and messes everything up although at the end everything was worth it.
What I love more about Dean is that he’s the only one around Rosie that doesn’t see her or treat her like the sick person she is, he just let her be and treats her normally which is perfect.
Rosie is another strong character, because despite of her illness she has managed to go on with her life and doesn’t want your pity she just wants to be treated as an equal and that’s what she has with Dean.
The only”problem” is that now I’m torn between Vicious and Dean lol, because they both are amazing in their own ways, so if you are going to read this just be prepared for the conflict L.J Shen will put you. Lol.
Rose and Dean had instant chemistry but the time for them was not right. Dean ended up dating her sister. Rose has an illness but she’s a fighter and strong. Ten years later Dean starts pursuing Rose time is now right but they each have there own secrets. Can they be together or will they run out of time. Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended. So freakin good loved it
***4 “Operation: The Right LeBlanc Sister!!!” stars***
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“I don’t want to make you forget.
I want to make you remember.
And I’m about to, Rosie….
I’m about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby.”
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Dean Cole aka Ruckus was my least favorite from the four Hotholes!!! I had that belief since “Defy” and in “Vicious” i was very agree with him….
In Ruckus, i was struggling with the first 40% of the book…. something that is very weird for me when i have to do with a book by L.J. Shen….
But Dean was giving on my nerves!!!! His manwhoring ways, his fuck off attitude and all the dangerous paths he was walking in…
But as the pages were passing by, i was hooked by the story and i even liked Dean… I finally understood him better…
“Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole was a different kind of asshole to Baron ‘Vicious’ Spencer. He fucked you over with a polite smile on his face. In that sense, he was the Joker. In his mix of confidence, cockiness, good looks, and money, there was a dash of insanity thrown in. Enough to let you know that he meant every word he said.”
I will start by saying what a god damn waste of time for both Vicious and Millie and Dean with Rosie!!!!
I think i understood their reasons why Millie and Dean were together back in highschool, but that doesn’t mean that i liked it….
They condemned their selves in solitude and they tried for something that wasn’t right and they wasted so damn much time…. Eleven years!!!! Arrrrrrr…..
“My Prince Charming…. wasn’t really mine. He was my sister’s. But there is something you should know before you judge me.
I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.”
Well, Dean was one of the four Hotholes…. He used to date Emilia LeBlanc, but he was always fond of her baby sister, Rosie…. So, why he chose the wrong sister??? I won’t tell you that!!!
And then, Emilia run away and from that point he got that crazy, “funny”, careless manwhore who didn’t give a damn about anything else than women, booze, getting high and work….
But after eleven years, Rosie LeBlanc came again in the picture and this time was impossible for Dean to stay away from her….
“You’re awfully possessive…”
“That’s because you’re awfully mine.”
Rosie was such a wonderful creature…. She was so feisty and sassy and she didn’t take bullshit from anyone, especially from Dean Cole, her eternal crush!!!!
But Rosie was ill and she was living with borrowed time and that’s why she wanted to live as she wanted…
She hated to be pampered and she wanted to feel normal and that was one reason why she liked so much Dean… because he was treating her like a normal person… and lately, this manwhore was trying to get her under him, but since he was her beloved sister’s ex, she knew that there couldn’t be anything more between them….
But Dean Cole was an insisted bastard…. Will he manage to make her his????
“We’re playing a risky game.
“Then it’s a good thing I’m the best fucking player in town.”
I really loved how Dean and Rosie were together…. They were fitting very much…. Dangerous chamistry!!!
Rosie could make him get in line…. and she could chase away his darkness from time to time….
And Dean could make her feel alive!!!!
But don’t fool yourselves, there were many secrets that were standing between them and they were humans…. The mistakes were too many!!!!
Will they manage to overcome all the obstacles that were standing between them???
“Rosie, you are all I ever wanted. Even when you wanted me to be with your sister. She was a comforting candle. You were the dazzling sun. I’d lived in the dark—for your selfish ass. And if you think I’m going to settle for something, you’re dead wrong. I am taking everything. We will have kids, Rose LeBlanc. We will have a wedding. And we will have joy and vacations and days where we just fuck and days where we just fight and days where we just live. Because this is life, Baby LeBlanc, and I love the fuck out of you, so I’m going to give you the best one there is. Got it?” {Dean}
“I love you so much that I hated you for a while. And now that I know that you are damaged, I love you even more. Perfect things are not relatable. Unbreakable is fascinating, but not lovable. You’re breakable, Dean Cole. I’m going to do my best to keep you whole.” {Rosie}
Yep, I didn’t particularly liked Dean in the beginning, but as the pages were crawling to the end, i kinda like him, a lot…. and I was emotionally moved by this story…. i even shed a tear!!!
Rosie and Dean had lots on their plates and they did their best to have their history a HEA!!!!
“You deserve everything. Wife, kids, a white picket fence.”
“And I’ll have all of it. With you.”
“You know that can’t happen with me.”
“Then it can’t happen with anyone. There won’t be a next Rosie. And there won’t be another story like ours. This is it, Rose LeBlanc. And this is us. If there is no you, then there is no me.”
Honestly, i said that i will take a break from the Hotholes simce I’m reading the books in the row, but i can’t seem to stay away from Trent’s book…. I think i need it too much….
I’m soooo curious about this story, so… I can’t avoid it!!!! Soon, i will dive in it!!!! Bahahahaha….
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“What makes you feel alive???”
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Rosie saw him first but then her sister was with him. She decided to move on and life her life, be as independent as she could with her disease.
Years later she was living independently she’d moved on, but Ruckus was still there.
Dean had issues that none of his friends knew, but one thing he knew was Rosie was there, he made a mistake years ago, he knew he was with the wrong sister then and but now he was going to show Rosie that he was the man for her, they were meant to be and her illness didn’t mean a thing to him.
Will Rosie let Dean in after what happened with her sister, she knows he’s still got a lot of growing up to do but can he show her that he’s serious and willing to give her everything.
Oh my!
I was bawling here and there; almost through the whole freaking book! So, good. So, good! Great read and the ebb and flow of this love story, oh my, so worth it! #HappyReading
His hand moved to the left side of my chest. He placed it over my heart, and squeezed one time. “This thing right here? It fucking beats for me. You know it. I know it. Keep lying, Rosie. I’ll milk the truth out of you. One way or the other.”
Excuse me while I go swoon over Dean Cole! Dean & Rosie are perfect for each other! I’ve been wanting to know their story since I started Vicious. I honestly wasn’t too fond of Dean before because of the whole relationship between him & Emilia. I felt like Dean was just too hung up in Emilia since him & Vicious were always fighting over her. But things aren’t always as they seem.
The banter between these two had me smiling so big. Their chemistry was off the charts!
I didn’t think I’d love anyone as much as I do Vicious & Emilia. WRONG. Shen knocked it out of the park with Dean & Rosie!
I’m easily becoming addicted to L.J. Shen’s writing! She’s all I wanna read! I need Vaughn’s story like yesterday!
5 Stars.
Stars also symbolize the cycle of life, solitude and gravity. They glow in the dark energy that’s the majority of space, and remind us that even in the pitch black, there’s always something that can shine.
Rosie LeBlanc knows life isn’t fair. With no promises of tomorrow, she has learned to make herself happy and push others away. She moved away from California to New York to escape her overbearing parents; they wanted to put her in a bubble and lecture her about her failing health or her bad choices. Without them around, she can do whatever she wants. Her career consists of making playlists and serving up coffee to hipsters at The Black Hole. She volunteers at a NICU because it is the closest thing to what she wanted to be doing – nursing. That doesn’t make her parents happy, but Rosie doesn’t care. Millie accepts it and her opinion is the only one that matters.
Millie LeBlanc is Vicious’s soon-to-be-bride. Rosie is happy for her sister, but her upcoming wedding is causing Rosie to deal with someone she rather not – Dean Cole. What Millie doesn’t know is that the only thing Rosie wants more than good health is him. However, she can’t have him. It doesn’t matter that Dean is the only man can that set her on fire. It doesn’t matter that she saw him first. Ruckus is Millie’s ex-boyfriend. And she’s sick. So that makes him off-limits.
There is something you should know before you judge me. I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.
Dean was done lusting after Baby LeBlanc. He has waited years to finally get with the right LeBlanc sister. Why did he have to make the mistake of courting Millie? Millie was never under his spell; she has always belonged to Vicious. Their wedding presented him with the perfect opportunity to settle this nonsense. He was going to make Rosie his. Forever.
Baby LeBlanc was going to bow down to me eventually. Her clock was ticking faster, and I was done letting her waste our time.
In my opinion, this is the best book in this series yet. I have read Vicious and Defy before joining Bookbub, and while I really enjoyed them, they didn’t move me as much Ruckus. It is such a beautiful story of forbidden love. Rosie’s issues are more known as she can’t really hide her illness, but Dean is also dealing with some hidden secrets. He is so much different than his fellow HotHoles that my heart bled for him. I highly recommend this series!
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