EmiliaThey say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true.The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares.He is a brilliant lawyer.A skilled criminal.A beautiful liar.A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover.Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t … lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.
Vicious
She is a starving artist.
Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom.
Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down.
She paid the price.
Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate.
That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t.
So she hates me. Big fucking deal.
She better get used to me.
Vicious a complete standalone and a part of the Sinners of Saint series
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Omg Vicious is just that. I loved this hothole. I could not stop reading this book!
I love this book, i get all the feels
Love the Sinners of Saint Series. Reading book 5 now.
I wasn’t sure that I would like this. I thought Vic might have been nonredeemable, but surprisingly he won me over and I really enjoyed this book.
I don’t think I have ever read a character quite like Vicious.
How do you make the male lead an arrogant, horrible asshole and expect your people to fall in love with him or at least like him?
The more I read, the bigger asshole he seems to get. I thought there’s no way I am going to like Vicious when this book is finished. I was mistaken.
Not only did I end up liking him but I wanted him and Emilia (who he tortured mercifully in high school) to be together. This is the best hate love story I have ever read, why would I want innocent, sweet Emilia to be with such a horrible butthead? Because she doesn’t put up with his shit, can take it and gives it. No one else does because they’re terrified of him but she seems to have the magic touch.
Perfect Story of how Love is Messy and Not Alwsys perfect.. loved how hard they both loved
I don’t know if words can even describe how amazing this book was. This is definitely one of those reads that will have you losing your mind the entire time! Vicious and Emilia’s story is anger, malice, revenge but also desire, forgiveness and love. Good luck reading this book and coming out unscathed! Now on to Ruckus….
After i heared a lot of good things about Vicious by L.J.Shen so i expacted a lot of this book. L.J. did a good Job because i was totally caught by Vicious and Emila.
The style of writing of L.J.Shen was very catching. The way she wrote important Situations and the methophers and adjustments she used to show as the world of Todos Santos. Also share the thoughts of her Charakters.
It had been interesting, that we had one character out of the World form the rich people. That Fact i all ready while i read Fallen Heir by Erin Watt these summer. So enjoyed it in Miss Shen’s Book also. I really liked the Fact that Some new parts are intigrated by L.J.Shen to the story by a rich boy fall in love with an ordenary girl. The Idea of adding a Hate to Love in her Story
L.J.Shen did grate job by showing the thoughts and feelings of both of her main Characters. It was very easy for me to understand both of even if I wouldn’t act the same way if i’m in the same situation.
The way Miss Shen parted her story between her tow main charakters and also between ten years ago and today. That fact made the story so much more interesting. It was hard to stop listing because i wanna to now how the both story are linked.
Also the Humor in this story is amazing besides these is not an easy theme. Sometimes many times i have to say i have to laugh out loud. Also the Story had moments in them i was like WTF did that really just happend.
The Side Kicks in these Story where brougth in way that they are helping the plot.
Vicious is a character who isn’t bad as he seems in the first place. He is Fighter and he fights hard. L.J did a grate job by showing his feelings and reasons why he act like he does. Somewher deep in him must be a good guy.
Emilia on the own hand is the incarnate Kindness. But on the other hand she is a fighter. iwas amzede by the she dealt with the whole Sitation.
To conclude you can say that, L.J created an emotional and catching story. With characters you hate and love the same time while reading. There had been so many emotinal moment in this story sometimes i had to fight tears. Also she showed in a perfect way how near love hate are together. So now wounder these book gets five of five stars
This was an outstanding first read by this author. I was immediately drawn to the characters of Baron (Vicious) and Emilia LaBlanc. He is rude, obnoxious with narcissistic tendencies. She is pure, innocent with an obsession for blossom trees; who doesn’t possess a malicious bone in her body. The more I read about Vicious the more I wanted to know him. He made Emilia’s life a living hell, running her out of town at 18, away from her friends and family. Yet this did not change her. This is a story of love, hate, denial and obsession.
The storyline is addictive; told from a dual POV the pace was steady to fast in places. LJ’s writing flowed effortlessly. I have laughed and cried… laughed when Vicious constantly called Emilia ‘Help’; the chemistry between these two characters was palpable. The camaraderie between the Four Hot Holes as secondary characters kept me hooked. Loved the whole package!
This was a fantastic must read. Thoroughly recommend it
This one is hard for me to put into words. I was completely prepared to hate Vicious the whole book. I didn’t want to like him. It seemed, based on his actions and thought processes, that he was completely without redeemable qualities. He’s just an a$$hole, through and through. Emilia is his opposite in every way, and I wanted her to stay as far from him as she possibly could. And she tries! She really does. I love that she doesn’t fall for his ordering her around and is unimpressed by his money and power. Just read it. Read the whole series. I can’t do justice to the change of heart I had by the end of the book – but it did take the WHOLE book for me to get there.
This is not a traditional romance! You will have the feels and want to yell and kick things. But you should still read it!
Vicious is my first love for this author. Although i won’t say Vicious is my book boy friend. He is so not. Vicious is as vicious as his name. He is a bully. A mean SOB. Bossy. And his mouth…OMG his filthy mouth! Somebody need to wash his mouth!
But dayuuum he is deliciously hot!
And its not helping that his possesiveness toward Emily just…sigh….he change my mind so easy with his passion for Emily.
Yes at first the way he act toward Emily just plain childish, but then i see its really love. In his own f***ed up ways, he really love Emily. The way he worship her…just…oh my this author is killing me.
I love how she write her bad boy. I love how she write her feisty girl.
Wow! What a ride! Vicious is definitely the best a@@hole ever! Never in this story did I think redemption was possible. Never say never…..
I had been told so much about this series and pretty much forced by multiple friends to buy all of the books. After reading Vicious, I’m so glad they did and I’m so sad I didn’t start the series sooner!!!
This crazy game that Vicious and Millie play is so intoxicating! From the very first chapter I was so curious to see how their story would end up. Vicious seemed to have been appropriately named and Millie really stood her own ground. But sooner after major confusion set in. I didn’t understand why Vicious treated her the way he did and then how he acted about his best friend dating her. Mass confusion soon paved way to perfect clarity 10 years later. I soon caught on to the game he was playing, although he was playing with her heart, he didn’t realize he was playing with this two.
LJ’s style of writing with this book really intrigued me. I’m not always a fan of when the author goes back and forth between time, but her transitions were flawless! I was never upset that we were revisiting the past, in fact I wanted to know more and more. She paired it so well with what was happening current day. Also the depth to her characters is fantastic. Each character has so many layers and their personalities area slow build. We slowly get to know a little bit more about each of them throughout the story. We get to see their younger (might I say immature?) selves and their present day (only sometimes more mature) selves, and she really helped to put pieces of the puzzle back together with this.
With alllll of that being said, I loved and hated Vicious so much, maybe more of the later most often. I also adored Millie and what she stood for. She made the best of every situation and held her head high. I cannot wait to read what she has in store for the rest of the boys!
Oh. My. God. Vicious by LJ Shen (Sinners of Saints Book 1) is the first novel I have read by Ms. Shen-and now I am devouring all else she has out!!!! This book is all about the bad boy (who’s not ALL bad), and the good girl who falls for him. Emilia and Vicious come from different worlds, but fit oh so perfectly together. This novel took off from the start, not shying away from sexual situations in the least (and they are all done VERY well;) This book will make you frustrated, and keep you panting at times. Their love is epic. I seriously can not put into words how amazing this book was, it was over way too fast. The characters are amazingly well developed, and the story line was fast paced. I devoured it!
Not five, but 6 stars for this amazing book. This is the story that keeps you up until 4am *cough* and makes you read and read and read until your eyes bleed with fatigue and tiredness. But… you simply cannot put it down, you keep turning the pages. It’s not your typical love story, it’s the story of thin lines that keep the deepest and most different feelings in life just a thin space one apart from the other. It’s the story of love and hate and hate and love and pain and happiness and happiness and pain and weakness and strength and everything and nothing – just the thin line in between.
Two people – Vicious and Emilia – wronged by others and by each other, betrayed and beaten, but so damn strong…
His life is a play, a set after set of games, lies, vicious and cruel games…
And her life: a battle, constant battle for survival…
When those lives collide…
“We’ve waited a long time for this. I want the real thing. Not the watered-down version. And the real thing is not only beautiful. It is also ugly.I want your truth.”
…there’s nothing left but strong emotions, beautiful, ugly, truthful love.
Amazing book.
Vicious sure lived up to his name . I didn’t think Vicious had it in him to redeem himself with Dean as well as Emilia. The more secrets that were revealed the more my mouth dropped.I was into this story I didn’t want to put the book down.
I’m always up for a good enemies to lovers story and with VICIOUS, L.J.Shen did NOT disappoint. Add in the a**holery that is Baron “Vicious”Spencer Jr. and that makes for a compelling and titillating reading experience *wink* L.J.Shen mastered the push and pull of Vicious and Millie’s relationship, each interaction between (both past and present) had me wanting more. You could FEEL the chemistry they had, it leapt off the page. The enemies to lovers storyline worked perfect for this couple. I loved every minute of this book.
Audio- I both read the ebook and listened to the audio. I really liked the female narrator. She made it easy to distinguish between characters and moods with her vocal changes. The male narrator took some time to grow on me (his voice reminded me too much of one the boys from Jersey Shore LOL). In the end I would give the audio the same rating.
A love that was worn and old, but still burning.
“Ask me what I want again,” I said softly, and she grinned, pressing her lips to my chest through my tee.
“What do you want?” she murmured. Her hair smelled fantastic. Like flowers and how my pillow was going to smell tonight.
“Nothing. I’m done wanting things. I have everything I need now. Ask me how I feel?”
“How do you feel?”
“In love.” I breathed hard, burying my face in her hair. “I feel in love, and it’s you that I love. So f*cking much.”
5 stars
EXTENDED EXCLUSIVE EPILOGUE: LJ Shen wrote an extended epilogue at the end of her book THE END ZONE. You will want to read that if you plan to read this series in it’s entirety. It gives hints and a little glimpse at the spin-off series that she plans to write. This spin-off series will be about the HotHole kids: ALL SAINTS HIGH is a YA spin-off to the SINNERS OF SAINTS. The first book in the series, PRETTY RECKLESS, is due to come out early 2019.
“He was perfectly imperfect. Flawlessly flawed. Most importantly—he was Vicious.”
L.J. Shen does it again! This book is life, as have been all of her others! I simply don’t know how she does it, each and every time. This story and each character is finely crafted with explicit and careful detail that gives you a clear, impeccably written, and emotion shattering clarity.
“He was light in a dark fog. But I knew better than everyone how bad the gorgeous, dancing flames in him could burn.”
Oh Vicious, how badly I wanted to hate him…Shen made it easy, until it wasn’t. She gives you his raging, inhuman, incredibly (insert expletive here) behavior and you think there is no redemption. Then the Author begins her genius….glimmers of change, concession, gasp….even a little romance and sweet?
“She wasn’t a nameless one-night stand. She was a fantasy, and like all fantasies, she was meant to be savored, cherished, and treated with caution and respect.”
Dear lord, you sit there on the last page and like him….really, really like him. And Emilia? I just loved her…you would never think she would even want to handle him, let alone be able to. She did and did it well. Their snark and banter had me laughing out loud at times.
“He always thought of himself as blackness, but the truth was, he injected so many different pigments into my existence.”
Normally I dive in to a L.J. book and stop my life until I have devoured it. This time, I found myself re-reading, highlighting, and having pages of quotes…just so good, all of it….every page, every paragraph, every WORD. It spoke to me in a way, I will never be able to fully explain. You honestly need to read it yourself because there’s no way for me to put it in words. The next quote probably sums it up better than I can, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to be able to voluntarily review another of L.J. Shen’s Masterpieces.
“I know that they damaged you, and I still want you. I don’t even want to fix you. I just want you as you are. Broken. Misunderstood. Jerk. I want the real version, the dark version, the one who made me the saddest I’ve ever been in my life, but also the happiest.”
~~~~Erika Book Haven Book Blog
I think my opinion about this book is going to be quite an unpopular one at that. This one was my 3rd book written by L.J. Shen and I like her writing, usually in it was easy to read even thou I practically hated the storyline. It’s an accomplishment if you ask me because if I have as much of a dislike toward a story or a character as I had in this case then I usually just DNF it.
Let’s see I think its going to be a short review. As plots go there was not much going on other than the relationship developments regarding Vicious and Emilia. There are a couple of things happening beyond that, some of those purely for the sake of absolving Vicious from his earlier ‘mistakes’, which for me didn’t work by the way, but even those in the end were resolved quite abruptly despite the build up the story had for them.
My biggest problem with the story was Vicious’ personality and the relationship between the characters.
I absolutely despised Vicious, okay so after everything come to light I felt for him, he had some really heavy things happening to him in his childhood but in my opinion it still didn’t excuse his behavior. I usually can like a jerkish, bad boy type character but with him the author took things a tad bit too far in this case. He was crass and blunt. He acted disgustingly, especially with Emilia. And here comes the reason I didn’t like the relationship between them. Because let me tell you girl, there is something wrong with you if you so in love with someone who constantly hurt, humiliate and degrade you every time you meet from the first moment. I just don’t see the appeal. Alas the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. This is just not for me seems like, even if at the end Vicious got tamer and more down to earth but it was too little too late.
I doubt I’m going to continue with the rest of the series; the only one whom story remotely seems interesting is Trent because of the whole single parent aspect, but I don’t like the big age gap it’s also going to has in it so it’s only a maybe.
I absolutely loved everything about Vicious. I loved that it was atypical romance. An intoxicating combination of intrigue thanks to tropes like bullying, second chances, boss/employee, blind obsession, manipulation, and tortured pasts. It’s also the perfect rich bad boy/poor good girl combination. So many romance niches it could be classified under and each one worked perfectly.
L.J. Shen’s writing flowed wonderfully. Her words rich in context, in showing me the story so I could watch as it vividly played out. Her brilliantly executed choices in structuring this story from both hero and heroine’s points of view juxtaposing past and present. The plot was manipulative and dangerous just like the hero as well as fun and sassy just like the heroine. The entire reading experience was deliciously decadent and oh-so-satisfying.