“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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I totally loved ‘The Kiss Thief’. L.J. Shen is becoming one of my fave authors.
Wonderfully written, this book has all the feels. I’ve suffered with Francesca because her love story isn’t a easy one. Everything changes for her when she’s forced to marry Senator Wolfe Keaton instead of her childhood young love. That’s when her tough journey begins.
I really liked the evolution of the main characters. How they’re changing their views of each other although sometimes is the hard way. At least they’re learning through the way. Francesca, Angelo and Wolfe are a poweful storm that you won’t be able to escape. They reminded me in some scenes to Scarlett O’Harra, Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler.
Betrayal, revenge, isolation, hate, miscommunication and pride are going to have to change into trust, family, love, forgiveness, bonds, amends and humility. And isn’t going to be ease. At all.
Amazing chemistry, steamy scenes and an addictive relationship, those are ingredients for Francesca and Wolfe story that I didn’t wanted to end.
It was ok. Nothing to rave about.
My first 1 star review ever. Warning…spoilers ahead.
DNF @70%
Ugh. I tried to like it. I don’t like not finishing books. And this will have spoilers but at this point IDGAF because my time was wasted.
Wolfe is a 30 year old senator. He wants to be president. He has a shady past. Like he would ever get elected. (Well, maybe he would. In post Trump times, anyone can be elected. I digress).
He hates this mob boss for killing his family. So he buys his sweet 19 year old virgin daughter and marries her. She’s in love with another boy, who apparently loves her back, but sleeps with other people, who sleep with the Senator too, so who knows.
Francesca tells him she’s a big slut who slept with half of Chicago. He accuses her of sleeping with the boy, she says she did and she used a condom, then she tells him she didn’t, then she begs the Senator to sleep with her, then she’s mad that he took her virginity. He’s ashamed and thinks he raped her. Still, I kept reading.
I kept reading through lines like “he licked me down there”, “the lips between my legs”, “the thing between my thighs”. I read through him being adamant that he would not have children, then begging to have sex without a condom and pulling out and she refused, then hours later she cried because he wanted to use a condom and she wanted to be bare, and when he tried to pull out she held him close. That’s where I closed my Kindle.
These two are extremely unlikeable. The dialogue is stupid. The plot is extremely far fetched. I haven’t read about this much dry humping since, I don’t know, ever. He’s 30. Give me a break. I’ve never read a book by LJ Shen and I won’t bother to read another one. I’m irrationally angry that I wasted my time on a book that so many people raved about. I never review books that I don’t like, but I disliked this one so much that I felt I needed to. Just awful
I loved Francesca and Wolfe’s so much. Both such strong characters who are loyal and just. I was gripped from page 1 until the very end. Such a beautifully written story.
Love it for from the very first chapter!
“A story of nemesis and a villain with no chance of a happy ending”
Wow. So many angsty feels.
I was reluctant to read this book as I’m not really into mob stories, but damn, it blew me away.
5 stars and a stolen destiny kiss.
by @authorljshen
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I know it’s been a year since this book was released, and believe me when I say I have no idea why i haven’t read it before .
Every time I read an @authorljshen book, I’ll be like, these two are my favorite couple, they are the best. But then I read another one of her books, and the second thing I know I have me a new favorite couple . I swear I can’t help it. She writes the best characters. Literally. .
and are wonderful. I loved I mean how can you not love him!! He is so charismatic, so beautiful and utterly cruel. Once you know what he’s been through, you’ll love him unconditionally. He is a good man, a good man seeking vengeance.
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But really surprised me, I didn’t expect her to be that strong. Growing up surrounded by that much wealth, I expected her to be spineless. But she really surprised me, regardless of her young age she proved to be very mature.
The chemistry between these two was out of this world. I LOVED IT!!!
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Will I re-read it in the near future?? DEFINITELY!! Did I love it??
ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY!!
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” . . ‘ , ‘ ? ‘ . . ‘ .”
The Kiss Thief By LJ Shen
Francesca Rossi mafia princess who knew from an early age that her life wouldn’t be normal. She wouldn’t go to college or have a job she was to marry within her father’s organization be a dutiful wife and have children. She thought for sure that would be her childhood friend and crush Angelo Bandini. Until
Senator Wolfe Keaton ruined everything and stole her first kiss and her future by blackmailing her father into agreeing to an arranged marriage.
Francesca is smart, headstrong, beautiful,caring,generous, feisty,driven, loving and a romantic at heart. She was dealt a blow to her heart yet she still finds beauty and hope in her life. She is determined to hold her head high and not be run over.
Wolfe was jaded, damaged, ruthless, coldhearted, cruel and downright mean when it came to Francesca and The Rossi’s especially her father. Yet as time passes you start to see past his cruelty to see the hurt and pain behind his actions.
It was captivating, emotional, dark, dirty passionate romance with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat anxiously waiting to see what happens next.
Five riveting
A little twisted, a lot of misunderstanding. Love this author.
Where do I even start? How about where I tell you I’m so upset I waited so long to read this book? I’m not sure what I thought The Kiss Thief was going to be but I can tell you it definetely was not what I got. I could not stop reading this book. LJ Shen wrote a captivating story.
Wolfe Keaton and Francesca Rossi are an unlikely match, but maybe they aren’t as opposite as one might think. Maybe someone just hid who they really were from the world. Senator Wolfe Keaton is arrogant, sexy, ruthless, and powerful. His goal is to become the president of the United States and take down Author Rossi, the man responsible for killing his family. Fransecsca Rossi is the nineteen year old girl who has lived a sheltered life. She believes in the way of the Outfit and the way she was raised. When Wolfe steals her kiss at the party she really had no idea how her life would change, that she would now belong to the kiss thief.
The Kiss Thief had me on the edge of my chair, the anger and hatred these two felt towards each other was amazing to read, add in their attraction towards each other and it was off the charts hot. Payment for a debt is what she was to Wolfe, until she was his everything. The push, pull of this book was like nothing else I have read, mainly because they are fighting themselves not the other person. Their internal battles outweigh the battle they have going on with each other. Neither understand the attraction and desire they have for the other. I loved reading the grow of Fransesca’s character, and also Wolfe’s change as well.
I have no words to describe how much I loved TKT and how much I love Wolfe and Francesca! LJ Shen just blew me out of the water with this amazing, captivating, well-written masterpiece. I wish I could give more than 5 stars because this book deserves so many more!
So I have to be forth coming. I bought this book and then deleted when I did my normal book cleansing, this book didn’t make the keep it list. I can’t explain why I didn’t keep it, but if I didn’t just finish a buddy read I don’t know if I would have picked this book up.
I am so thankful for my friend picking this book as I would have missed out on one of the greatest transformations from big bad Wolfe to snuggly teddy bear.
This book is really good and I highly recommend it if you have kindle unlimited. You don’t want to miss out on this read. I will be buying this book again in kindle format and in book format for my shelf
The Kiss Thief was the very first book from L.J. Shen that I have read. And lord did it changed 2019 and my love for books.
This story wrecked me in pieces and made me fall in love with an amazing writer and beautiful human being. The story was very twisted but romantic, only Leigh Shen can write something so beautifully dark.
Wolfe Keaton is and forever will be the love of my life! He owns me like no one else. Since reading TKT, I read all of LJ’s books and although her Alphaholes are a force to be reckoned with, he is still my number one.
I loved this story so so so much that I reread it like 5 times
***6 “Nemesis & Villain!!!” stars for me!!!***
“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 + mobster + rearranged marriage??? My absolute dream!!!
Honestly guys, i’m seriously in love with this woman and her writing!!! She never disappoints me in everything she writes…
I’m mesmerized by her stories and their heroes… from the plot of each book!!!
But here there was a huge plus for me since I’m a big sucker for mafia books with rearranged marriages!!! Honestly, i don’t know why!!! Maybe because I’m in love with the prospective that the heroes will fall in love eventually!!!!
“Your love story was no fairy tale. More like a witch tale. Wicked and real and painful.”
Well in here, our heroine, Francesca, or Nem as our hero was calling her (short of Nemesis, if you’re wondering) was a mafia princess who has been raised as a woman of her class should be…
She was pampered and she was living in a golden cage….
Her only dream was love and her only satisfaction was that she was about to get enganged with her childhood sweetheart, Angelo Bandini.
But everything changed when a devil in mask had stolen her first kiss which was supposed to be Angelo’s…
And then, he had stolen her life!!!
“You stole my first kiss. Then my happiness. And finally, my life.”
Wolfe Keaton, already a Senator at his thirty, is a cold hearted and ruthless bastard…
He is seeking revenge from the man that had stolen everything from him in the past, but then Francesca Rossi is getting in the way and he is changing his plans when he is forcing his enemy to give him his most precious thing, his daughter…
But now, he had stuck with a young pampered and idiotic woman whom may desire her body, but to whom he can give nothing more than physical connection…
“Maybe I am the monster. After all, I come out to play at night. But so do you, little one. You’re out in the darkness, too.”
So what will happen with those two when they are bickering all the damn time, but at the same time, they desire each other???
Will love be an option for them when Frankie is still in love with Angelo and Wolfe doesn’t want anything to do with this emotion???
There is a chance for this marriage to not break apart???
“Jesus. What was wrong with my body? I loathed him. But I also craved him.. Terribly.”
“No matter how I tried to spin it, my relationship with Wolfe Keaton was doomed.”
To be true to you, in the beginning, i was longing for Frankie to be with Angelo…
Love conquers everything and all that jazz…
But very quickly in the book, i became a Wolfe’s team and my heart was pounding wildly inside my chest in every encounter between those two… The anticipation was too big and felt too real…
They were both very strong and powerful characters and i fell in love with them…
“No love is fully requited. No love is equal. No love is fair. There is always one side that loves more. And you better not be that side—because it suffers.” {Wolfe}
“Break. Crack. Feel me. Accept me.” {Frankie}
Frankie was a spitfire and i was overjoyed by her antics!!! She was wearing her emotions on her sleeve and i love how long she went from the beginning to the end…
Wolfe was a ruthless man with no emotions on display and i was enjoying the way that Frankie was wearing him down…
Those two were catching fire everytime that they got closer, but the bad blood between them was too much…
Will they have a chance to win each other over???
“You need to weather the storm, my dear. I think you’ll find,… that you two are so explosive together because you finally met your challenges in one another.”
“I don’t think anything can scare Senator Keaton.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised. I think you’d give him a healthy dose of things to worry about. He did not expect you to be so… you.”
……
“Love him. He will be defenseless against your love.”
God, I LOVE L.J.’s stories and i LOVED this one too!!!
I’m like a madman until her next book get released every single time and i can’t wait to start reading her wonderful, crazy stories…
Wolfe and Frankie will stay with me for ever, as the rest of her heroes do!!!
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
This book has a little bit of everything in it. It’s a bit dark, there’s a slow burn, Strong woman, men who love, betrayal, revenge, love, hate, loyalty, a love triangle and so much more. I read this book two weeks ago and I’m still in a book hangover like no other. Was their first sexual encounter cringe worthy…a little bit, but if you like dark themes, you won’t let it stop you. The bond Franesca and Wolfre create in their complicated relationship is a bond like no other. This book will have you on the seat of you chair, turning pages so fast because you want the answers of will they or won’t they. This is so much more than a beautiful story, it’s magically words on pages that will have you in suspense the whole time you are reading!
Francesca is in love with Angelo and he’s the man of her dreams, she knows she’ll marry him one day…. Until senator Wolfe enters her life and everything changes , since her father wants her to marry Wolfe, and she dislikes him and he seems to disparage her.
I enjoyed this book, but got frustrated with the lack of communication between the main characters, they made so many mistakes because of that 🙁
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, it wasn’t really a love triangle kind of story. I would actually say it had more of a Beauty and the Beast feel to it.
Frankie could be very annoying through the book but she is only 19 and I think her actions in the book were true to her character and age. So while annoying at times it definitely fit into the story.
It was an enjoyable read.
Just Fabulous
I always struggle to write a review for L.J.Shen,which is not necessarily a negative thing, it just proves that there are no actual words that can describe the brilliance of her stories.
Her words are like a spell which when you read them compel you to consume each one ,until you have relished them all until the very end.The Kiss Thief is another one of those hard to put into words books ,because it is all consuming pure magic.
Is it possible to Love a book so much that you feel lost when it is over ?
You lose all sense of time and reality whilst inside the pages,were you make yourself comfortable there for a while.I read this book slowly and methodically so I could capture every essence of every word printed and it drew me into its warm embrace and I basqued in the sheer magnificence of Wolfe and Francesca.
I was so ready to be devoured by the Big Bad Wolfe,and devour me he did,he tore me apart,chewed me up and spat me out in the most delicious way.I completely fell hopelessly in love with Senator Wolfe Keaton.
Francesca Rossi sweet,innocent and sheltered surprised me with her bravery when her world was turned on its axis by Wolfe.
There is a fine line between Love and Hate ,pleasure and Pain and Wolfe and Francesca walked his very thin tightrope with each other every day.Wolfe is a man not to be trifled with,appearing cold,cruel callous and aloof you are drawn to his dark delectable heart.But it is a heart that has been blackened by pain and loss and hardened him to the world.
Francesca is the pawn in his revenge plot against her father stealing her from her home under the notion they will marry or there will be consequences for her family. But she challenges his resolve and he gets more than he bargained for,at first they are enemies who become allies,but could they be anything more?. Their relationship is turbulent and volatile, the passion brewing like a storm,this story will totally sweep you in like a hurricane spinning you around and completely blowing your mind.
A modern day Beauty and the Beast and what a Beast of a man Wolfe Keaton is,but can Francesca Rossi our Belle tame this brute of a man?….I urge everyone to read The Kiss Thief and find out just how uniquely spectacular and perfect this book is.
Best book I have read this year.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I don’t know how that is possible. She has quite a list of books and I read a lot yet it took this long for me to run across her.
I love this book. It brought out every emotion as the story progressed. The characters are mostly likable and there are a number of surprises. As with most romance stories I expected the main characters would get together but it is always the journey getting there that held my attention. I think the characters are well developed. It takes time but when everything comes out about Wolfe but his background is heartbreaking and made me understand more about him. Francesca on the other hand led a sheltered life. For being so young in many ways she was mature and in others she was child like. The relationship between them is unusual yet ends making me green with envy. I think the secondary characters added so much to the story. I can’t tell if there will be more books about these characters but I hope so.
Angsty. Mafia. Page turner.
I loved this book so much.The way Leigh write this is beyond poetic.So beautiful!