“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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This book is everything! It as everything we all love from a great book plus much more you wouldn’t expect.
LJ Shen always comes with the most memorable alpha’s and Wolfe Keaton is hands down my favorite of hers to this date. He’s the type that you wanna slap, strangle, devour and love all at the time.
Wolfe Keaton is not your typical alpha, yes he’s rich, dark, brooding and cunning. He’s also a vengeful politician that is out for blood not caring how he does it. Well that is till he meets Francesca Rossi.
Francesca Rossi is a sweet and innocent girl. She’s had the proper upbringing and treated like a princess her whole life. She was also protected and sheltered so she didn’t know certain things were going on. As the story goes we get to see Frankie grow and spread her wings. She starts to become her own person and not take crap from anyone anymore. She started to stand on her own too feet.
As the story grows we see these two grow as individuals and as a couple. Of course the face bumps in the road like any couple but it’s how they get out of them that makes their love better and stronger.
If you are fan of LJ Shen, you’ll definitely love The Kiss Thief. TKT definitely my favorite book from the amazing author.
It’s such an emotional read. I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I did enjoy it and loved the characters. On the other hand, I found it very irritating, especially in the first half of the book. The story is good and it is well-written but I think it would’ve made a better historical fiction than contemporary. In any case, it’s a good novel and I think many will enjoy it.
Francesca has led a very sheltered life. She knows that her father is no saint but still there are many parts of their lives that she has accepted as they are. She loves her parents and is happy to comply with their family traditions. She knows that her marriage will be arranged for her. She is lucky though because she seems to love the man her father approves of… that is until Wolfe shows up. Suddenly her life turns upside down and she has no idea how to deal with it. One thing is for sure though, she will get her freedom back no matter what.
Senator Wolfe Keaton has an agenda. He wants to destroy the man responsible for so many evil things that have been going on in his city. But to do that he must hit him where it will hurt the most. Although marrying a bratty teenager is not something he wants to do but to achieve his end goal he will do it. And make sure that the girl knows her place in his life… that is at his feet. Unfortunately, Wolfe didn’t consider the kind of girl Francesca will turn out to be. She is making it very hard for him to keep his emotions intact… but can there be a happy ending for these two star-crossed lovers?
A great read that I found very interesting. Once I got into the story it kept me intrigued until the end.
L.J Shen has once again taken my breath away with the amazing story of heartbreak and redemption! I woke up early this morning with the intention of writing, but once I say that this book was live I had to grab it. I am still unable to put into words that passion that has gone into this book, from both Shen as the creator and these characters.
I don’t even know where to go from here. I reached the end of the book and immediately felt a loss in my soul for these characters. Not because their story was painful, but because both of them touched my soul.
I am going to call it now and say this is going to be my favorite read of this year!
Sheltered Francesca Rossi was brought up to be a dutiful wife and mother but when her father’s sins catch up to him and he uses Frankie as his get out of jail card, the life as she knows and planned comes crushing down. Fantastic hate to love story that keeps you glued to the pages till the very end!
Very few people can craft a metaphor like LJ Shen. She’s creative and vibrant in her descriptions, particularly those related to love, hate, and desire. She’s also got a great handle on the slow burn. Wolfe Keaton is so aggressively determined to be an ass to his new wife, it’s hard to believe he’ll ever come around, even when you know he has to eventually 😉
LJ is not afraid to write a graphic or unusual sex scene. Actually, I don’t think she’s afraid of anything in her stories — she takes some bold turns. The characters are flawed and even foolish. But they grow over the course of the narrative.
Another great book from my favorite romance author.
This was a good story about Francesca aka Nemesis aka Nem and Wolfe aka Villain. I fell for both of these characters and felt sad for them, especially Nem. She was treated so badly by those that are supposed to love you no matter what, but in the end she had Wolfe and he protected what is his fiercely. There was so much going on in the back ground and Wolfe controlled the strings to everything. He played an amazing game and came out the victor in more ways then one. There was action, hate, deceitfulness, a few funny moments, sexy times and not so sexy times. All in all a really good book.
Wow! What a powerful story! I was drawn in from the very first chapter and grabbed any chance I could to keep reading. There are some pretty emotional scenes in here, and I came extremely close to crying. I’m not gonna lie, there were also times I wanted to throw my kindle across the room and demand they see sense
Francesca is the daughter of Arthur Rossi, the head honcho of The Outfit. For years she has been preparing for her expected betrothal to Angelo Bandini, son of another Italian family. Only things don’t go quite as planned.
Senator Keaton takes her for his own, and he’s got an agenda that makes her see red.
These two have so much fire between them as they fight for their pride. Keaton has strict rules that she must adhere to, and she likes to push the boundaries.
So much of who they are comes from their families and upbringings, and when the past is revealed, it’s the thing that could break them.
I loved watching these two grow throughout the story and learn to adjust to each other. And I love how Francesca is strong willed and determined; a memorable leading lady.
Fantastic read!
Loved every minute!
This story is intoxicating from beginning to end. The path for Francesca and Wolf are raw. There are mysterious twists and turns that wouldn’t let me put this book down. Loved it!
WOLFE KEATON…YOUR NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND…
Thirty year old, hot, wealthy, Senator Wolfe Keaton is the perfect dirty talking, all alpha a$$hole(think Vicious in a 3-piece suit and a senate seat)…Wolfe is not above doing something unethical for the right reasons, but he’s an honest politician (Was that an oxymoron???)….Wolfe loves serving his country, but he’s also been trying for years to get justice for the man responsible for the deaths of his brother and his parents…And Wolfe has just discovered the man’s Achilles heel….and he is taking her and marrying her…
Nineteen year old, virginal Francesca Rossi, has lead a pampered and sheltered life as a mob princess…She has never been allowed to make a decision for herself…..She’s expected to and believes it’s her destiny to marry a young, mob prince, and her childhood friend, Angelo Bandini….but fate has a way of stepping in and changing everything you believed to be true…Especially when Senator Wolfe Keaton is involved in changing that fate….
I feel like I say the exact same thing every time I review a book by LJ Shen…but THE KISS THIEF was one of the best books I have read….and that’s saying something, because I read A LOT of books ….it is a different story, and I I loved Wolfe and Francesca and their hot af chemistry….And I LOVED THE KISS THIEF!!!
I was hooked on this book from moment one. The writing was fantastic and Francesca and Wolfe were totally swoon worthy characters. Great book.
I highly recommend this book. Honestly, my review can stop right there, because that is just the truth. It was beautifully written, deeply emotional and riveting. The characters are realistic and well developed, their pain, joy, etc. was tangible. I felt like I was swooped into their world. The plot was excellent and expertly navigated. Also, the author has the unusual ability to make the reader feel as if the story is a historical romance, but yet it’s obviously not. The setting is actually in modern times. The author seamlessly wove the charm and intricacies of the historical romance genre into the fire and passion of this contemporary romance book. Wow. Just wow. This book is so good that I foresee myself reading it a second time just for the heck of it. That says a lot. I will definitely be following this author from here on out.
Although I must warn there were a few scenes (maybe two) in this book that were hard to digest to say the very least, and a bit uncomfortable. I believe there should be a trigger warning for sensitive readers. But it can be easily skipped over without interrupting the essence of the book.
Overall, this book was a 5 out 5.
“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”
L.j Shen does it again.
I was little nervous going in, arranged marriage? Age gap? Not really my thing.. but, I’m feeling high off Broken Knignt and I keep repeating “I need more” so I figured screw it, I’ll give it a shot. I’m so glad I did!! I should have known she wouldn’t disappoint with a brooding asshole like Wolfe and a fierce Heroine like Francesca. I love the way they hate.
Side note: Inlove that he calls her Nem. I’m a sucker for a good nickname
“Some people just needed a tight hug. Around the neck. Wait, I was actually thinking about choking him. Not the same thing.”
Amazing!!!
Loved every single thing about this read.
From beginning to end it gives us drama and angst.
One of my top favorite reads by L.J. Shen
A definite must read!!
I love me some LJ Shen. I can’t get enough of her writing
Loved that it was Age Gap, Slow Burn, Enemies to Lover and Angst. Everything I look for in a book!
I guess with the enormous amount of favorable reviews within a short time of its launching, my review is just another icing on the cake. I love LJ Shen’s work, I’ve read all her books and I do feel like she just got better and better over time. The Kiss Thief is her latest story that led me through an emotional roller coaster. Francesca is definitely one of my favorite heroines. Behind the facade of a young, sheltered, nothing-but-a-pretty-face appearance, she is a strong, determined, kind-hearted, compassionate and genuine person. She has her principles in life that she works hard to follow through. Her shining personality definitely melts Wolfe’s heart (and Angelo’s as well, though Wolfe is a much tougher case to crack!) Now Wolfe… He certainly did not plan on falling for Francesca as she is only a part of his plan. Slowly but surely, he becomes a different person. Their attraction and love for each other has become so strong before they even realize it. And this just makes my heart sing! There are many events in their lives that mean to rip them apart (and it broke my heart when those happen), but their HEA is definitely well deserved. Overall, I highly recommend this book as well as this talented author. Not many of them could leave you such a strong impression that you keep thinking about it days/weeks after, and this book is absolutely unputdownable!
I have read a few mafia style romance books like this by a few authors and was a little disappointed in lack of detail about “The Outfit”, but overall enjoyed the story. The backgrounds were decently fleshed out for a few characters who were in the spotlight during the book. It’s dark, gritty, but the lines get blurred between right and wrong.. there is a few things that turns the head a little in it and I suppose each person has a different view on the events. There is a scene that borders on lacking consent and I would’ve liked to see a content warning in the front of the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Either I have grown complacent from all the author’s particular brand of angst and hate-love and assholes or The Kiss Thief is just on a whole other level from among all other reads from her. The angst and epic tragedy of the romance, the ultimate asshole exterior covering such a tender good heart (emphasis on the thicc assholish exterior btw) and my favorite – the ultra resilient heroine. I feel so weak against this trifecta. I’m practically deader than dead.
One of my automatic one-click authors has done it again and completely stole my heart (and my sleep) with Wolfe and Francesca.
The story starts with Francesca being in love with her summer friend, Angelo, who she has known for years and who openly tells her she is his future bride and she wants him to be her first kiss and has decided it will be the night of the ball they are at.
Through family tradition dating back generations the ‘Rossi’ bride (Francesca) is to open a sacred wooden chest that contains notes from the previous Rossi bride, these notes tell of the future, she opened the box that day and the note leads her to believe that that night she would be kissed by the love of her life, who she so desperately wants Angelo to be. However, that night Wolfe stole her first kiss and the life she had always seen for herself.
This is such a raw and powerful story about love, hate, revenge and power. I hated Wolfe for a good part of the book, but in true Shen fashion she writes her men from hate to love. Wolfe is cold, stubborn, mean, guarded and a damn right a**hole (definitely worse than Vicious and that takes some beating) but he shines through with his fierce loyalty and love to his bride after his walls have been picked at by Francesca.
The angst in this book had me putting it down a good few times to compose myself when I just wanted to but their heads together, it was an emotional journey.
The blurb may have you believe it’s a love triangle, but it’s not as it seems, if you don’t like love triangles because you love all 3 of them, don’t worry, the epilogue will sort you out!
This book will keep you riveted to the love story and is a truly phenomenal read
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Overall Ratings;
Hero –
Heroine –
Story –
Angst –
Steam –
Chemistry –
Would I read more from author – always!