“Instantly Have You Addicted” – Oprah Magazine#1 Contemporary Romance#1 New Adult Romance#2 Most sold book on Amazon#2 Most sold Fiction book on Washington PostTop 2 book in the entire Amazon Kindle store“My absolute favorite L.J. Shen to date. Indulgent and addictive.” – USA Today Bestselling author RS Grey“This book will ruin you for all other books in 2019” – Bestselling author BB Easton From … will ruin you for all other books in 2019” – Bestselling author BB Easton
From USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author L.J. Shen comes an enemies-to-lovers romance with a twist…
They say your first kiss should be earned.
Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.
They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.
Mine were broken before we left church.
They say your heart only beats for one man.
Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.
I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.
Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage.
They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.
I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.
One kiss.
Two men.
Three lives.
Entwined together.
And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.
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Just finished The Kiss Thief and I’m gonna need a minute to write a review that adequately puts into words just how captivating this book is. While Wolfe Keaton is simply delicious, my heart belongs to Francesca Rossi! Let me just say she is one kickass heroine. Loved her. Loved this book. Gahhhhh! Leigh your writing style is lush and decadent and leaves me craving more like a sinfully rich piece of chocolate cake. A million heart eye emojis
As an English teacher and as an avid reader, I am a lover of words…of lyrically written sentences and paragraphs…of multifaceted and layered plot lines…of fleshed out characters who grow and evolve as the story continues. Words are my job and my passion, so when I find a writer like L.J. Shen – one whose skillful storytelling and flawed characters never fail to overwhelm me in all the best ways – I know I need to step outside my comfort zone and dive into The Kiss Thief, allowing Shen’s angsty goodness and love triangle plot line to invade my literary world, and while this story definitely put me through the ringer and made my anxiety spike during numerous scenes in the book, it only confirms just how amazing Shen’s writing is and the care she takes to allow her characters to tell their story, regardless of how confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming it is for the writer and her readers.
The Kiss Thief – the title of Wolfe and Francesca’s story – is quite deceiving – because its implications don’t seem to match the world that Shen creates for her characters. When I think of someone stealing kisses, I don’t traditionally see it as a deviant act; stolen kisses could happen for any number of reasons, and they can be both pleasant and unpleasant surprises depending on the kisser. But I’ve never seen these kinds of kisses as vindictive…as a part of a duplicitous plan…as a strategic act meant to achieve something bigger.
And there’s no way I could have imagined the symbolic nature or significance of the title of Shen’s newest release. Because the kissing thieves who Shen created are anything but innocent; in fact, they’re all about taking what they want when they want it, and it’s that controlling nature that makes them dangerous and unrelenting and sends Francesca Rossi’s world spiraling out of control and most definitely out of her hands.
But that’s not to say that Francesca is not a force to be reckoned with – she is stronger and more resilient than those around her give her credit for and although there are times where she seems too docile, too innocent, and too malleable, she proves herself as so much more than a pawn in a dangerous game…as more than a tool to acquire revenge…as a girl to be used in any way someone else deems necessary. She’s a fierce heroine – one who grows as the story continues and does both unexpected and amazing things to prove exactly the kind of person she is.
Senator Wolfe Keaton is someone who is not easy to figure out because how he carries himself outwardly doesn’t completely define who this complex man is, and while there’s certainly an edge to him that clearly conveys the idea that he is not a man to be messed with, that doesn’t even begin to show the layers of his personality or why control is something he demands at all costs. LJ Shen allows readers to truly see all that Senator Wolfe keeps to himself and because readers are privy to his perspective and the reasons behind his words and his actions, they can understand, unlike those around him, the significant ways he transforms as his relationship with Francesca becomes something neither of them expected.
The Kiss Thief doesn’t follow a conventional story line – there are so many twists and turns that keep readers guessing and also force them to truly be on their game when it comes to the ins and outs of the plot and its characters. The Kiss Thief is a story of revenge…a story about enemies turned allies…of foes who become friends and perhaps even more.
The push and pull and back and forth between the characters…the way their worlds collide despite efforts to prevent it…the angsty goodness…the childish antics due to jealousy…all of it captivated me from page one until the end and Wolfe and Francesca story is one that I won’t soon forget, which is exactly the kind of book that makes me fall in love with writing and storytelling all over again.
5 Poison Apples
Mafia Romance..
And who better to deliver the story other than the fantastic L.J.Shen who has such a way to write this gender that will leave you with your jaw hanging.
Add to that a love triangle,an arranged marriage and an out of the charts ja***ss Hero and you have an explosive cocktail!
Mrs. Shen brings us this time a character who’s 199% a***hole and 1% charming and yet you cannot,for the life of you,find yourself hating one thing about him.
If you’ve read L.J previous HotHoles series,this guy will bench all the previous ones combined.
And what I loved the most is that the heroine wasn’t as smitten as I thought she would be and she gives him a run for his money. I absolutely adored her.
The plot has twist and turns that will have you wondering what’s gonna happen next while gripping to the edge of your seat.
The book is exquisitely written and the feedback between characters is something else!
One of my favorite tropes written by one of my favorite authors.
TKT is a MUST READ
My first book of the year and what a way to start 2019!
Move over boys because there’s a new man in town.
His name is Wolfe Keaton.
If you look up the term “alphahole” on Urban Dictionary, it will tell you that it is an “alpha male who is also an a$$hole.” What you should find with that dictionary is a picture of L.J. Shen as she is the queen of writing this type of character. Her newest offering, The Kiss Thief, keeps that crown firmly placed on Shen’s head.
“With Wolfe, I felt as if I was on fire. As though he could end me at any given moment, and all I could do was hope for his mercy. I felt safe, but not secure. Desired, but unwanted. Admired, but unloved.”
When you look at her Facebook fan group, the comments rave over Wolfe Keaton, the male protagonist of this newest book. Many have said he is their favorite Shen “alphahole.” And there is credence in that. However, as far as I can see, he is similar to Celian in Dirty Headlines or Vicious in Vicious, the leader of the “Hotholes.” They are men with intent, willing to do anything to get what they want. If it means verbally and emotionally abusing their heroines because they have built emotional walls erected through personal trauma, then they do it. They will bulldoze over anyone to any end. And we love them for it (it turns us on). There is something dirty and romantic about these men because we know, we trust, they will be redeemed, usually by an unassuming woman. Sometimes, this redemption will be great, changing their entire demeanor. Other times, as is the case with Vicious, it shows only in his relationship with his heroine. We love to hate L.J. Shen’s alphaholes; it is what I will call the Shen Effect. Once again, with this book, we love her newest alphahole, Wolfe Keane. He is handsome, brash, arrogant, prideful, self-controlled to a fault, and gives zero “f@*ks” about anyone. Until he meets Francesca, his Nemesis.
What oftentimes gets overlooked (at least in her FB groups) in L.J. Shen’s books is the women. The men dominate the story, but they are only allowed to do so because the women allow them. These are not weak women. No, they are created solely for the alphahole of their story as a way to insert change, bring about retribution, and redirect the hero’s direction. This is no different in The Kiss Thief. By all accounts, Francesca is a caged bird, created solely for marriage and partnership in The Outfit: “I was born into a gilded cage.” From the outside, she appears spoiled and naive. At least, this is Wolfe’s initial impression of her. However, Francesca is power. She is Nemesis, her identity and costume for the gala in which she meets Wolfe for the first time. Through her story, she inhabits Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, the goddess who brings balance to those whom pride drives motivation. Wolfe becomes her Narcissus, needing to be brought low. With her spirit, her garden, and her sacrifice, Nemesis eventually defeats her Narcissus and wins her HEA. This image, woven through Shen’s book, is powerful. She frames her entire book with it, and we need to pay attention to Francesca’s power even when she seems powerless (in fact, my favorite moment of this book comes midway through, and it shows Francesca’s power over Wolfe in a way that will gut you. It made me cry full tears). She is my favorite part of this book.
“Wolfe Keaton was a kiss thief, but it wasn’t only a kiss that he stole. He stole my heart, too. Ripped it from my chest and put it in his pocket.”
Many of my L.J. Shen peers are saying this is Shen’s best book. I’m not sure about that because I am a personal fan of her Hotholes. However, I do think this book is a top 3 or top 5. It will be one of the best books you will read this year, for sure, and Wolfe and Francesca will stay with you for days. It took me over a week to put this review together because I have struggled to find the words to write about the impression of this book. Ultimately, The Kiss Thief is redemption and acceptance and a reminder to keep hubris at bay, especially in the realm of love.
“We were co-dependent, and we had to co-exist. One without the other was a dormant being. To be alive and not really living was a terrible curse.”
Overall:5+++ Stars
4.5 “Nem” Stars
This author knows how to make you fall in love with the a*shole. She knows how to layer all the pieces so that you love to hate him and hate to love him. She also writes a strong heroine that can stand on her own and has you do a little cheer in her victories.
Francesca Rossi’s future may have been decided for her but there is strength in her acceptance and pride in her standing. She is mature and wise for her age but also behaves like only a teenager can at times. She is far from stupid and wields her silence and actions to her advantage.
Wolfe Keaton is arrogant and confident and knows what he wants. On the surface he is cold and calculating but his actions speak louder than words. I loved him from the start but despised some of his tactics.
Their push and pull is climatic. The sexual tension harsh and overwhelming. Their attraction is heart-racing. The pulse of the story beat hard, fast and steady. Beyond the romance is the freedom in forgiveness and growth in both Francesca and Wolfe. There’s a current of mythology pulsing through the pages and an element of surprise. Let The Kiss Thief steal some of your time.
5 Stars
Omggggggg!!! This book was FANTASTIC!! While I knew it was going to be good, I was not expecting this at all!!!
The Kiss Thief is the all new INCREDIBLE stand-alone novel by LJ Shen. After reading the blurb, I could not wait to get my hands on this story and HOLY WOW Ms. Shen did not disappoint!
Hot AF hero-
Feisty heroine-
Amazing storyline-
I am usually not a huge fan of arranged marriage tropes but I am a huge fan of Ms. Shen’s-and boy am I so glad I took a leap of faith and read it. This story was so full of passion, and love, and even hatred-all woven together seamlessly. From corrupt politicians and policemen to ruthless men in the mob, this story had a little bit of everything.
While I want to give every single detail I love about the characters and story, I won’t. I feel that you need to experience this amazing-ness firsthand. But I will say this- Francesca may start out as naive and sheltered, but you see her growth throughout the entire story. She’s not weak by any means. And Wolfe…man oh man who doesn’t love a redeemable jerk?! He is an extremely wealthy and powerful man. Once he lays eyes on Francesca, it’s over…for everyone involved.
Francesca and Wolfe’s chemistry was electrifying! I could not read this book fast enough. I needed to know what was going to happen and I needed to know STAT. The Kiss Thief was so well written and it played on my emotions like crazy. There is such a fine line between love and hate and Ms. Shen found the balance perfectly! I cannot recommend this book enough!!!
This is my first story by L.J. Shen and it really impressed me. Wolfe & Francesca come together in a very unconventional way to say the least. Francesca grew up in the underground of Chicago, but she had no idea all the things her father has done. Wolfe knows everything he has done and as a Senator and a man it’s his life mission to take him down. Taking his daughter is one of the first steps, but now he has to deal with her on a daily basis. But is that really that bad? They might butt heads on almost everything, but they don’t on the strong pull they have towards each other.
This story shows you can still be strong and independent and need another person to stand next to you. L.J. Shen shows us no matter what and who tries to bring you down if you believe in yourself and the people closest to you, you can win!!
Francesca Rossi is the perfect daughter. Never doing anything to bring shame or attention to her family. The daughter of a crime boss who runs his home with an iron fist. Her life was planned from birth and she has no problem with that, even if she yearned for more it would never happen. Her father was old school woman are to serve their men and provide children. The only light she sees is Angelo Bandinis who she believes is her soul mate. They’ve grown up together. And she’s in love with him, or what she thinks is love.
That all changes when she meets him. Senator Wolfe Keaton. The man who stole the kiss that was not meant for him. It was meant for Angelo, right? Then why did his kiss leave her feeling things she’s never felt before? Not even with Angelo. He’s hard, unforgiving and on a mission to destroy her father. And he will do it with any means necessary. Her father took from Wolfe something he will never get back. His thirst for revenge is what keeps him going. And if taking Francesca from her family is the way to do that? So be it. Blackmailing her father he demands for Francescas hand in marriage.
Francesca is devastated, her father the one person she thought would protect her turns his back and hands her over to Wolfe. This cold and unfeeling man is not her Angelo.
Francesca does not make it easy for Wolfe. It’s only with the help and guidance of Mrs Sterling the woman who takes care of Wolfe that she starts to look at Wolfe differently. The only way to break this man is to love him.
Wolfe is in for a surprise though, she’s not what he thought. And she is slowly breaking down the walls he has built around himself these years. She’s like a burning flame that sometimes infuriates him with her antics and words. There’s something about her that he can’t stay away from no matter what he does.
Watching this story play out I couldn’t put it down. It grabbed me it was so fast moving it had me on the edge of not wanting to turn the page but then knowing I couldn’t not. It had substance, a story and characters that I genuinely liked.
Well developed and it just go better with each chapter. A story of revenge and finding love when you didn’t even know you were looking for it.
I’m not normally one for Mafia romance but this story hit all the spots. I loved watching these two fall in love. I loved that justice was served to those that deserved it and I can guarantee there will be a re-read.
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I could not put this book down!!! Literally I was reading in a movie theater inside my hoodie because the movie was far less interesting than this book! I also had to restrain myself from reading it in a museum, I paid a lot of money to see a king tut exhibit and all I wanted to do was Read TKT!!! I am hooked on LJ SHEN an absolute addict ! If you are fan of Skye Warren you will LOVE this book!
It’s a bit love triangle, a bit arranged marriage a bit kidnappy, a bit dark, a bit of a rescue with a bit of politics and the mob thrown in to make it interesting (as if the rest wasn’t enough!)
I absolutely adore these characters, they are flawed, human and just the right amount of Cruel, that you can hate them and yet still love them! I can already tell this is going to be one of my all time favorite re-reads! There isn’t much more I can tell you without ruining it, I went in blind and honestly I think that is the best way to start this book!
A mafia princess betrothed due to black mail and a senator who doesn’t want to tarnish his saintly outward appearance all while hiding the darkness within. This book was right up my ally! It’s sinfully sexy and twisted!
Pride comes before the fall and sometimes the lies we tell to keep our pride hurt us the most.
I’m leaving my old review but I am posting my new one above it.
I can’t say for sure what place I was in when I read this book the first time. I still stand by it because it was true for that time, in that moment, and I accept that. Well I re read this book this past week because we were slow, and I knew I wanted to give it another go. Well, I’m glad I did, because it was so much more to me this time. I loved it. I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed this book immensely. The angst, the passion, the FEELINGS, they were everything. God, I love the angst and emotions in this book.
So, while I”m changing my rating from 3 stars to 5 stars, I’m still leaving my old review. I want you to know where I was and why I am reviewing it again. I am so happy I read this again and that I was in a place where I could enjoy it. It is truly a perfect example of why your mood can dictate how you perceive a book.
LJ Shen,
I’m sorry for the lower rating. You’re a badass, and I should have known better.
Love,
Heather
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This is gonna be a bit different for me because I typically enjoy everything she puts out. The thing is, this one just didn’t work out for me. I’m just going to list the things that didn’t work for me and led to my rating.
~The constant nagging about her age. She’s 19, an adult, yes it’s a teen year but she’s not a kid that she keeps getting nagged about. He’s 30, it’s not that old and 10 yr difference isn’t that bad. This was brought up way to much.
~There was too much repetitive language. I think some better editing or something could have helped here.
~The pacing of the story was off and made it a bit distracting.
~This was billed as a triangle love story but was it really? I don’t think so.
~The ending was rushed for me and some things could have been played out better.
~The characters could have had more depth and the story a bit more of “twist”.
~I am a HUGE mafia romance reader. It’s my jam. I read everything in that area. This was to light for a really good mafia book. I know it’s hard to write those well but this one had so much potential. I think the hype just made me expect too much here.
Book Review for L.J. Shen’s The kiss Thief
This book is more than five stars, every word from the beginning to the end is beyond any description that I can write.
This book was everything! L.J.Shen is one of my favorite authors, every book I have read I loved.
The anticipation for The KISS Thief was killing me, since L.J. Shen was putting out teasers for the story. I just knew that it was going to pull at my heart strings. Nothing prepared me to have a love hate relationship with Senator Wolfe Keaton. Francesca lived a beautiful cage, she is a smart, sharp, funny, loving and very strong. Their journey to each other is paved with many obstacles. You will not want to put this book down. A must read for everyone. It’s a stand alone book that you will not want to end. You won’t regret reading this book.
4,5 stars
This is a different book from L.J Shen. When I saw the teasers, before the synopsis was revealed, I was in doubt whether it was historical or contemporary style. And I’m not much of a Historical Romance fan, so I wasn’t sure if I would read. But when the author, in fact, revealed her intentions and brought something different my curiosity increased soooo much.
THE KISS THIEF presents us with a historical book vibe, but told in nowadays. An arranged marriage, a well-behaved girl that was raised to become a good and suitable wife, and all the glamorous life of parties, charity events and so on. The story takes you in a way from the first line to the last, you can NOT put it down.
What I like most in this author’s books is that her characters are all real, there are no good and bad ones. Everyone has their moments to make us fall in love, but also has those moments of wanting to shake the person and say “what the f*ck was that !?” Seriously, guys! And it was so good to follow their story. I felt everything in this book! My #girlpower radar shouted to me to slap some characters and that’s why I gave the 4.5 stars lol
THE KISS THIEF was my first reading of 2019 and I’m so glad it was amazing! L.J Shen is already a favorite author of mine! I highly recommend it.
5+ stars!
“Our hearts were tarnished. Stained. And guilty.
Unpredictable to a fault.
And bound to break.”
WOW WOW WOW! I am blown away with LJ Shen’s newest novel, The Kiss Thief. She has the amazing ability to write original stories that pack an emotional punch and I was consumed by it. Intense, complicated, raw, angsty, and full of all the feels, it was unputdownable!
I’ll be honest I was scared to start this book because of my fear of love triangles. I knew Shen would deliver a story that would wreck me, and wreck me she did. However, I trusted that she would piece me back together, healing my heart in the best possible ways, and she did not disappoint.
The Kiss Thief weaves a story of love versus hate, loyalty versus betrayal, and ruthlessness versus kindness, and brings everything together into an epic romance that will leave you hung over for days. This book is so different than I expected. The love triangle is a significant part of the story but it’s so very much more than that. Full of hurt, betrayal, pain, and loss, it’s also a story of growth, loyalty, acceptance, and most of all love. It is far from easy and is full of cruelty, lies, twists, and secrets but it proves the power of love and the lengths people go to keep it.
Wolfe is a senator with an agenda and will stop at nothing to achieve it. He is brutal and heartless. He gets what he wants and he has his sights set on Francesca, the mafia princess of The Outfit run by Francesca’s father.
Angelo is part of The Outfit. He is sweet, caring, and Francesca’s choice. He makes her heart flutter and is suited to her in every way. She has loved him forever and she is finally ready to make her move.
“I’d imagined our kiss countless times before, but I’d never expected it to feel like this. Like home. Like oxygen. Like forever.”
Then, Francesca is faced with a heartbreaking reality. Everything she hoped for is stripped away when she is taken away by the one man she despises.
“I sucked in a breath, realizing for the first time what we were.
A story of a Nemesis and a Villain with no chance at a happy ending.
Where the prince doesn’t save the princess.
He tortures her.
And the beauty doesn’t sleep.
She’s stuck.
In a nightmare.”
I adored Francesca. She is ripped from her life and thrown into a situation that is opposite of everything she’s wanted. Nonetheless, she is strong, smart, and resilient. She handles the situation in the best way she can and she perseveres.
Angelo is loyal and will do anything for Francesca. He is heartbroken when she is taken from him. He does not give up the fight when he goes up against Wolfe and definitely creates some problems for him and his plans.
Wolfe. What do I say about Wolfe?! Shen is a master at creating anti-heroes you can’t help but love and he fits the bill. He did some things that really angered and frustrated me, leaving me screaming at my kindle. His actions were devastating and I didn’t know how I would get over them other than to trust Shen. I did and before I knew it was engrossed in all things Wolfe. He is multidimensional with layers upon layers that hide his truths. He plays his part well but when he lets us inside and we see who he truly is. His character growth is well developed and I loved seeing his redemption.
Separately, the characters are fantastic but together they were EXPLOSIVE! Every single moment sizzles with attraction and the sexual tension builds deliciously. The immediate lust is undeniable but it’s when the feelings start to blur that really makes your heart race and moves the story. They are confusing and surprising and not all welcome but in the end love persists.
“I flew directly into my cage, asking him to lock me inside. Because the beautiful lie was far more desirable than the awful truth. The cage was warm and safe. No harm could find me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my head in his steel chest and holding my breath to prevent the next sob.”
Through these characters we see what true love is. It’s unexpected and powerful. It can morph from one extreme to another with believable intensity. I felt everything and I loved it all, even the painful parts that left me with a tear-stained face and especially the swoony, full of heart moments that left me breathless.
Overall, The Kiss Thief is a beautiful love story that has stayed with me days after turning the last page. It’s a story that I want to go back and relive over and over, and a new TOP FAVORITE!
“Your love story started off on the wrong foot, but it will be magnificent precisely because of that.”
LJ Shen knows how to write an asshole and make you fall in love with him. Wolfe Keaton made be my favorite of all that she’s written. I devoured TKT in one sitting! It blew me away at how fast I connected to the characters. I had already shed a few tears before the halfway mark. This book is phenomenal and now my favorite by the author.
In walks Wolfe and you instantly hate him. True to Mrs. Shen, he’s an asshole, arrogant, and dangerous, but there’s something laying underneath it all to peak your interest.
Francesca is EVERYTHING! I loved her instantly and rooted for her with everything I had. Her heartache was mine along with her happiness. She’s by far one of my favorite heroines I’ve read. I love that she didn’t cow down to Wolfe, but grew and became fierce, not letting him push her around. The strength she exudes astounded me making me love her all the more.
I loved watching them both grow and their love turn into a love story I know will stick me with for a long time.
Her best book to date, LJ Shen brings an unconventional love story that is EPIC. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us.
I successfully avoided reading the blurb and any reviews for this book. Although I did see the excitement building as the early ARC readers feasted on The Kiss Thief. And what a feast it is. I devoured it. EVERY WORD.
As I began the book I had a sinking feeling in my heart – not another Chicago, Italian mobster book! Really? Had one mobster, had them all. Cigar smoking, whiskey drinking, skirt chasing men with a massive superiority complex and black hearts.
And then I met Senator Wolfe Keaton. This is not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. This is a full on wolf in wolf’s clothing with teeth that bite as he takes what he wants. His heart isn’t black – he has no heart. Beneath that designer suit is a man of steel, a man with revenge in mind and no thought to lives he may ruin to achieve it.
The very beautiful Francesca Rossi believes that the answer to who is the man of her dreams is written on three notes in a box. She may be young and naive but she is a fighter with principles and a heart of pure gold.
“When I first met her, I thought that she was a puppet. A shiny, pretty toy designed by Arthur Rossi that I could break. The more I got to know her, the more I realised how wrong I was.”
“Wretchedly gorgeous. Wickedly innocent. Irrevocably mine.”
I laughed as I read. I swooned and gasped. I cursed and I cried. I needed a cuddle. Most of all, I was mesmerised and in total awe of how well Leigh Shen did with this story. It is easily another one that could be a film. Definitely one that will make the top reads of 2019 – even though the year is so young.
If you fell for Vicious or Alex Winslow or Celian Laurent then Wolfe will have you with hearts in your eyes.
This might be the quickest that I’ve ever read a book. It was an all-nighter for sure. Once I started I couldn’t stop. I’m not really into mob books but this book is so much more. It’s an arranged marriage, love triangle and hate to love and those types of books feed my soul. I was somewhat uncomfortable while reading this story because it’s not a pretty, sappy love story… it’s messy , BUT those books are the type that I love so much.
Francesca is so young, but she is a strong, resilient woman. I really enjoyed how strong-willed she is.
Wolfe is a man who has been through a lot and doesn’t think that he needs anyone…
When these two get together, it’s a total struggle of wills and I was completely riveted.
A totally different type of love story that will leave you with a big book hangover….
TKT is a book I’ve been hearing about nonstop for months. At first, elusively, and with no idea what it would be. Then the cover reveal, which was outstanding. That cover alone made me want the book. Then little hints and teasers, then finally all the arc people gushing and making me jealous. Point being, there was a definite build up- and it was worth all the hype.
I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting, but Francesca and Wolfe’s story was heartbreaking and frustrating! Neither of them were innocent or the victim really. They both made bad choices, hurt each other, and had the most backward relationship ever. More heartbreaking than their love affair was all the actions by others that were used against them. Anyways, it made me mad, it made me cry, it shocked me. But it all works out in the end, and I’m so glad to have read it. I could see myself rereading this, I need a physical copy for my shelves now, especially since it’s so pretty.
I must confess that I haven’t read a lot of “love triangles” and there is a reason for that. They make me extremely nervous. I like angst in my books but the angst that comes with “love triangles” can actually drive a person to drink. Which is why I am normally not a fan of this trope. You know who I am a fan of though… L.J. Shen!! So, me reading this book was a pretty much a done deal. 😉
Writing a review is a bit of a challenge though because I really don’t want to spoiler this story. I think it would best to jump into this one blind…
I am a huge fan of L.J. Shen’s Sinners of Saint series. I loved all the HotHoles, which should tell you, how much I love a redeemable asshole !! Well, if you are anything like me…you are gonna love the hell out of this one…and out of Wolfe. 😉
Wolfe Keaton was a kiss thief.
The heroine in this story, Francesca, she was a bit different than what I am used to…by this author… but also just in general. She was sweet, a bit naive, and shy…but she wasn’t weak by any means. She was strong in her way. And even though I would have done things very differently than her…I still admired her. She wasn’t exactly what I expected from a mafia princess. There were still times I wanted to shake her a bit though…
A Story of a Nemesis and a Villain with no chance at a happy ending.
This book definitely managed to make me “feel the feelz”. Anxious, excited, angry, sad, happy are just some of the emotions I went through while reading, and I finished it in one go… No social interactions on this new years day for this girl 😛 I started the year exactly how I wanted to…with an awesome book !!
“Maybe I am the monster. After all, I come out to play at night. But so do you, little one. You’re in the darkness too.”
This one has unquestionably deserved a spot in my favorites list, though it hasn’t surpassed “Ruckus” and “Bane” for me. That might never happen because I fell in love with those boys/men hard. Doesn’t mean I didn’t fall for Wolfe as well 😉
I highly recommend this book as well as any other one written by this author!
“Wretchedly gorgeous. Wickedly innocent. Irrevocably mine.”
Not since Sparrow have I wholeheartedly disliked a male lead in the beginning and became powerless by the end to fall to his clutches, just as Francesca tried to avoid at all costs. Lost to the heady, decadent, and dazzling Chicago High Society back drop with old world culture and customs fitting our heroine like a gilded cage, flitting with current ideals to break down the walls, what started as a tool for revenge, tossed me like a boat in a storm and I couldn’t put it down. Twists and turns, glorious, snarky banter, I thoroughly became enraptured to the beckoning addiction that was Wolfe and Francesca. At war with herself over two possible paths, it wasn’t always clear which she would choose, and the elusivity of her choice, or what was chosen for her remained throughout causing me complete and utter inner turmoil that was soothed by vulnerability or something off the charts swoon worthy by (not telling)
“We were entwined and entangled, connected with invisible strings, each of us trying to pull away, only to create more knots that made us closer.”
The unexpected was so thrilling, and while I spit nails quite a bit over the push and pull, when all is revealed and all walls come crumbling down, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that this could be one of my favorites of the Year. Complexly interwoven, Wolfe and Francesca’s paths crossed and ignited fires all over the place. I was astounded in how it all played out, but was never a moment disappointed. I thank the Author for providing a copy to review.
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog