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Playing with Fire
A broken boy on the path to destruction.
A scarred girl without direction.
A love story carved in secrets, inked with pain and sealed with a lie.
Grace Shaw and West St. Claire are arctic opposites.
She is the strange girl from the food truck.
He is the mysterious underground fighter who stormed into her sleepy Texan college town on his motorcycle one day, and has been wreaking havoc since.
She is invisible to the world.
He is the town’s beloved bad boy.
She is a reject.
He is trouble.
When West thrusts himself into Grace’s quiet life, she scrambles to figure out if he is her happily-ever-after or tragic ending.
But the harder she pushes him away, the more he pulls her out of her shell.
Grace doesn’t know much about anything beyond her town’s limits, but she does know this:
She is falling in love with the hottest guy in Sheridan U.
And when you play with fire—you ought to get burned.
A scarred girl without direction.
A love story carved in secrets, inked with pain and sealed with a lie.
Grace Shaw and West St. Claire are arctic opposites.
She is the strange girl from the food truck.
He is the mysterious underground fighter who stormed into her sleepy Texan college town on his motorcycle one day, and has been wreaking havoc since.
She is invisible to the world.
He is the town’s beloved bad boy.
She is a reject.
He is trouble.
When West thrusts himself into Grace’s quiet life, she scrambles to figure out if he is her happily-ever-after or tragic ending.
But the harder she pushes him away, the more he pulls her out of her shell.
Grace doesn’t know much about anything beyond her town’s limits, but she does know this:
She is falling in love with the hottest guy in Sheridan U.
And when you play with fire—you ought to get burned.
436 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2020
10045 people are currently reading
43194 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Shen
81 books56.4k followersL.J. Shen is a New York Times, USA Today, WSJ, Washington Post and #1 Amazon Kindle Store bestselling author of contemporary romance books.
She writes angsty books, unredeemable anti-heroes who are in Bill Gates's tax bracket, and sassy heroines who bring them to their knees (for more reasons than one).
Keep up with L.J. on all platforms:
Newsletter Sign up ➜ https://bit.ly/3LhsIrb
Instagram➜ shorturl.at/cDJRZ
TikTok ➜ shorturl.at/frw59
Facebook➜ https://goo.gl/fKCSo4
Website ➜ www.authorljshen.com
She writes angsty books, unredeemable anti-heroes who are in Bill Gates's tax bracket, and sassy heroines who bring them to their knees (for more reasons than one).
Keep up with L.J. on all platforms:
Newsletter Sign up ➜ https://bit.ly/3LhsIrb
Instagram➜ shorturl.at/cDJRZ
TikTok ➜ shorturl.at/frw59
Facebook➜ https://goo.gl/fKCSo4
Website ➜ www.authorljshen.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,574 reviews
August 30, 2020
L.J. Shen reaches new heights with this angsty romance that completely captured my heart. The characters are unforgettable, and the writing is flawless. If you don’t read another book this year, read this one!
Raw, heartfelt, and engaging, Playing With Fire is a consuming story about finding happiness and living life to the fullest. I was immediately sucked into the narrative and gripped by the storyline. While different, this book contains the brilliant storytelling we’ve come to know and love from this author. The characters jump off the page and immediately make the reader root for them. The writing is gorgeous and emotive. And the story is simply one of my favorites.
If you’re looking for a beautiful read that will consume you, this is it!
FRTC...
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Raw, heartfelt, and engaging, Playing With Fire is a consuming story about finding happiness and living life to the fullest. I was immediately sucked into the narrative and gripped by the storyline. While different, this book contains the brilliant storytelling we’ve come to know and love from this author. The characters jump off the page and immediately make the reader root for them. The writing is gorgeous and emotive. And the story is simply one of my favorites.
If you’re looking for a beautiful read that will consume you, this is it!
FRTC...
For more of my reviews:
My Blog: Book Twins Reviews
Facebook Blog Page
Subscribe to Blog
September 21, 2020
You guys aren’t ready! Clear off a top spot on your Best of 2020 list. Playing with Fire is coming in HOT!
LJ Shen delivers an innovative spin on small town romance with ALL the angst and drama we love. This story is different and unique, yet includes all of our favorite elements that this author graciously gives. These broken characters make a chance at love seem impossible and the road to their ruin is so freaking electric!
Once you start, there’s no stopping. Don’t bother trying. I’m still shook weeks later after finishing. Prepare to have your expectations blown to unrecognizable shreds.
This book is properly titled. West and Grace set the pages ablaze in Playing with Fire!
LJ Shen delivers an innovative spin on small town romance with ALL the angst and drama we love. This story is different and unique, yet includes all of our favorite elements that this author graciously gives. These broken characters make a chance at love seem impossible and the road to their ruin is so freaking electric!
Once you start, there’s no stopping. Don’t bother trying. I’m still shook weeks later after finishing. Prepare to have your expectations blown to unrecognizable shreds.
This book is properly titled. West and Grace set the pages ablaze in Playing with Fire!
August 28, 2020
When L.J. Shen says she is writing something so different from what she has ever written, take her word for it and then some. Playing With Fire is nothing short of
MAGNIFICENT! It was heartfelt and breathtakingly emotional and one of the best stories she has ever written!
No one can ever say that Shen pulls her punches. Playing With Fire is an explosive one-two combo of perfection and pure excellence! Grace and West were absolutely incredible. Two damaged people hiding from themselves and their pasts who find one another and the strength to face their fears and traumas.
Grace was the epitome of a spitfire full of sass and fiery spirit. A young woman rising from the ashes of who she used to be to become the woman she was born to be. I absolutely loved her determination and grit. West likewise was as battered and broken as they come reeling from a painful past. But together they made one another want to live life to the fullest again.
Overall, this story was raw, poignant and sexy. It will have you swooning and holding on for dear life until the very last page! 5 Magnificent Stars! ~Ratula
MAGNIFICENT! It was heartfelt and breathtakingly emotional and one of the best stories she has ever written!
No one can ever say that Shen pulls her punches. Playing With Fire is an explosive one-two combo of perfection and pure excellence! Grace and West were absolutely incredible. Two damaged people hiding from themselves and their pasts who find one another and the strength to face their fears and traumas.
Grace was the epitome of a spitfire full of sass and fiery spirit. A young woman rising from the ashes of who she used to be to become the woman she was born to be. I absolutely loved her determination and grit. West likewise was as battered and broken as they come reeling from a painful past. But together they made one another want to live life to the fullest again.
Overall, this story was raw, poignant and sexy. It will have you swooning and holding on for dear life until the very last page! 5 Magnificent Stars! ~Ratula
September 11, 2020
I've had to sit with my feelings about Playing with Fire for two days. For me it's not only some of L.J.'s best writing but it's one of the best stories this year.
"Fire symbolized beauty, fury, and rebirth, she explained. Too bad in my case, it symbolized nothing but my demise."
West and Grace breathed new life into me, this may be a small town romance but there's nothing small about their story. They are fierce and powerful. They are ruthlessly honest and transparent with each other.
"I wasn’t sure if what he stirred in me was good and hopeful, or disastrous and shattering."
I don't know if the content and what these two go through is making me particularly emotional but this book cut deep! Their broken pieces and tattered hearts and bruised souls will reach right out to you.
"I was in love with West St. Claire. Madly. Wholly. Obsessively, even. He was the most complex man I’d ever met—sweet, caring, kind, responsible. But also violent, aggressive, offhanded, and cruel."
Pause your whole life for this book! If you're not already in love with L.J.'s writing this is the one that will make you fall hard! Playing with Fire is about Redemption, forgiveness, self love and finding the one person who sees your flaws and accepts them wholly.
“A king doesn’t bow to others.” I got up and scooped her up, giving people something to look at and talk about for years in this godforsaken town, pressing a dirty kiss to her lips and almost breaking her jaw in the process. “He does for his queen.”
"Fire symbolized beauty, fury, and rebirth, she explained. Too bad in my case, it symbolized nothing but my demise."
West and Grace breathed new life into me, this may be a small town romance but there's nothing small about their story. They are fierce and powerful. They are ruthlessly honest and transparent with each other.
"I wasn’t sure if what he stirred in me was good and hopeful, or disastrous and shattering."
I don't know if the content and what these two go through is making me particularly emotional but this book cut deep! Their broken pieces and tattered hearts and bruised souls will reach right out to you.
"I was in love with West St. Claire. Madly. Wholly. Obsessively, even. He was the most complex man I’d ever met—sweet, caring, kind, responsible. But also violent, aggressive, offhanded, and cruel."
Pause your whole life for this book! If you're not already in love with L.J.'s writing this is the one that will make you fall hard! Playing with Fire is about Redemption, forgiveness, self love and finding the one person who sees your flaws and accepts them wholly.
“A king doesn’t bow to others.” I got up and scooped her up, giving people something to look at and talk about for years in this godforsaken town, pressing a dirty kiss to her lips and almost breaking her jaw in the process. “He does for his queen.”
September 15, 2020
I am absolutely obsessed with this book and these characters. It's raw and real and one of my top FAVS from LJ Shen!! I love a book that slowly unveils the depths of each character, and Playing with Fire knocked it out of the park!
West St. Claire is both a surprise and a refreshing alpha-male hero. Yes...he is cocky. He is a ladies' man and rules the campus with his broody looks and persona. But underneath the surface he is compassionate, selfless and is driven by a secret past that is ruled by guilt. He is broken yet continues to make sacrifices for others while punishing himself. When he meets Grace his world turns upside down and he's not sure what to make of it other than keep acting how he knows - like an A$$HOLE. And the more Grace stood up to him, the more intrigued he was by her. I loved every second of their push and pull relationship.
I absolutely LOVED Grace!!!!! She will forever be one of my favorite heroines. Her strength, determination and character development throughout this story was bold and beautiful. Her sass and banter with West was laugh out loud funny and addictive. Their sexual tension was off the charts, and the ease in which they became friends and eventually lovers was organic and natural. It just felt right from the first time they "really" saw each other outside of campus and work.
The way in which West regarded Grace and everything that surrounded and challenged her was jaw-dropping. Yes, he was hot and cold with her - but only because that is what she thought she wanted, and what he knew. When he let his guard down and they both allowed their vulnerabilities to show, it was simply all-consuming and beautiful. These two broken souls became one. They completed the other. They healed each other, and they both showed the resilience and power of the human spirit.
"You don't complete me, Grace. You create a better me." SWOOOON!
These characters will make you cry tears of laughter, heartache and joy! You will become consumed with both of their tragic pasts and cheer them on both individually and as a couple. I will forever love this story and the strength of these characters. Bravo LJ Shen!!! Well done once again!
West St. Claire is both a surprise and a refreshing alpha-male hero. Yes...he is cocky. He is a ladies' man and rules the campus with his broody looks and persona. But underneath the surface he is compassionate, selfless and is driven by a secret past that is ruled by guilt. He is broken yet continues to make sacrifices for others while punishing himself. When he meets Grace his world turns upside down and he's not sure what to make of it other than keep acting how he knows - like an A$$HOLE. And the more Grace stood up to him, the more intrigued he was by her. I loved every second of their push and pull relationship.
I absolutely LOVED Grace!!!!! She will forever be one of my favorite heroines. Her strength, determination and character development throughout this story was bold and beautiful. Her sass and banter with West was laugh out loud funny and addictive. Their sexual tension was off the charts, and the ease in which they became friends and eventually lovers was organic and natural. It just felt right from the first time they "really" saw each other outside of campus and work.
The way in which West regarded Grace and everything that surrounded and challenged her was jaw-dropping. Yes, he was hot and cold with her - but only because that is what she thought she wanted, and what he knew. When he let his guard down and they both allowed their vulnerabilities to show, it was simply all-consuming and beautiful. These two broken souls became one. They completed the other. They healed each other, and they both showed the resilience and power of the human spirit.
"You don't complete me, Grace. You create a better me." SWOOOON!
These characters will make you cry tears of laughter, heartache and joy! You will become consumed with both of their tragic pasts and cheer them on both individually and as a couple. I will forever love this story and the strength of these characters. Bravo LJ Shen!!! Well done once again!
September 11, 2020
➳ Rate: 6/ 5 stars
This is the L J Shen I feel in love with. I've missed this side of her writing. Emotional, wonderful and deep characters who you'll connect with on a deeper level! She did such an outstanding job with West and Grace! I loved them and their emotional bagagges, seeing them finding each other, become friends and eventually more was such a fun yet emotional journey. I loved every second of it.
Playing With Fire is an outstanding book with amazing characters and a beautiful message. It's a story that shows you you can walk through fire and rise from the ashes, that you can overcome what you went through and come out on top, better than before. It's a story about living life to the fullest. It's about finding your person and letting that person show you you're worth everything, that you're beautiful inside and out no matter what you've been through, no matter what you did.
I LOVED this book! It was definitely one of my favorite stories of Leigh's and I didn't know I needed it until I read it. West and Grace are two beautiful people each going through their own traumas and the aftermath of a tragedy. They are both closed off in their own way because of what happened, they are letting their lives pass them by until the moment they become friends and their walls start crumbling. And their banter and chemistry was so phenomenal!!!
All you fans of Leigh's AH heroes, do not fear. West St. Claire is the depiction of her usual heroes, only better! He is something else and you will love him and feel so much for him and Grace as well. She was such a breath of fresh air. I loved how she gave West as good as she got and that even though there was a lot of hiding due to her situation, she still showed so much strength and in the end she really was a phoenix rising from the ashes and it was beautiful to watch that whole journey!
Gah, I just I adored their story to bits. It was emotional on a lot of levels, it was gripping, entertaining and just a wonderful story with a beautiful message! Just well done Miss Shen!
➳ARC kindly provided by author, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Order at: Amazon UK ⁕ Amazon US
➳ Follow me on: Blog ⁕ Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Twitter
This is the L J Shen I feel in love with. I've missed this side of her writing. Emotional, wonderful and deep characters who you'll connect with on a deeper level! She did such an outstanding job with West and Grace! I loved them and their emotional bagagges, seeing them finding each other, become friends and eventually more was such a fun yet emotional journey. I loved every second of it.
Playing With Fire is an outstanding book with amazing characters and a beautiful message. It's a story that shows you you can walk through fire and rise from the ashes, that you can overcome what you went through and come out on top, better than before. It's a story about living life to the fullest. It's about finding your person and letting that person show you you're worth everything, that you're beautiful inside and out no matter what you've been through, no matter what you did.
I LOVED this book! It was definitely one of my favorite stories of Leigh's and I didn't know I needed it until I read it. West and Grace are two beautiful people each going through their own traumas and the aftermath of a tragedy. They are both closed off in their own way because of what happened, they are letting their lives pass them by until the moment they become friends and their walls start crumbling. And their banter and chemistry was so phenomenal!!!
All you fans of Leigh's AH heroes, do not fear. West St. Claire is the depiction of her usual heroes, only better! He is something else and you will love him and feel so much for him and Grace as well. She was such a breath of fresh air. I loved how she gave West as good as she got and that even though there was a lot of hiding due to her situation, she still showed so much strength and in the end she really was a phoenix rising from the ashes and it was beautiful to watch that whole journey!
Gah, I just I adored their story to bits. It was emotional on a lot of levels, it was gripping, entertaining and just a wonderful story with a beautiful message! Just well done Miss Shen!
➳ARC kindly provided by author, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Order at: Amazon UK ⁕ Amazon US
➳ Follow me on: Blog ⁕ Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Twitter
July 21, 2022
English /spanish version
This book, oh God, nothing could have prepared me for the explosion of emotions that this book is, it has been months since I read it and I still can't forget it. With exquisite prose and exceptional characters, L.J. Shen gives us an powerful, unique and emotional story, so different from what she has ever written but so amazing, left me speechless!
The plot is complex, intriguing, with secrets that kept me hooked on the story as a crack addict and scenes so intense that they took me from laughing to crying to sighing from one paragraph to another, and left me wanting more.
The characters are EVERYTHING, they are original and interesting. Even though we see L.J. characteristic writing style, they are VERY different from all her previous characters. Our dear Grace is so special, so brave, I love that she is not the typical heroine, and West, even though he is an asshole, rude and cruel, he is also so sweet and loyal and cares so much for those he loves. I love him!
The intense and electrifying chemistry between them is, wow. Can one die of spontaneous combustion? AND THE BEST KISS I HAVE EVER READ I swooned so hard!
This book is absolute PERFECTION, it is a story that talks about pain, rebirth, hope, second chances, friendship and love, and it may sound cliché BUT I WILL NOT FORGET THIS STORY AS LONG AS LIVE. That is the magic, the power in L.J. Shen words, they make you feel everything what the characters feel, the bar that she set is unreachable. I can't wait for people to read this story, get ready for the most angst book by this author to date, is an emotional ride that owns my mind, heart and soul!
Version en español
Este libro, oh Dios, nada podría haberme preparado para la explosión de emociones que es este libro, han pasado meses desde que lo leí y todavía no puedo olvidarlo. ¡Con una prosa exquisita y personajes excepcionales, L.J. Shen nos regala una historia poderosa, única y emotiva, tan diferente a lo que ella ha escrito hasta el momento pero tan increíble, me dejó sin palabras!
La trama es compleja, intrigante, con secretos que me mantuvieron enganchada a la historia como una adicta al crack y escenas tan intensas que me llevaron de reír a llorar a suspirar de un párrafo a otro, y me dejaron queriendo más.
Los personajes son TODO, son originales e interesantes. Aunque vemos el estilo de escritura característico de L.J., son MUY diferentes de todos sus personajes anteriores. Nuestra querida Grace es tan especial, tan valiente, me encanta que no sea la heroína típica, y West, a pesar de que es un imbécil, grosero y cruel, también es tan dulce y leal, y se preocupa mucho por los que ama. ¡Me encanta!
La química intensa y electrizante entre ellos es, guau, puro fuego. ¿Se puede morir de combustión espontánea? Y EL MEJOR BESO QUE HE LEÍDO
Este libro es PERFECCIÓN absoluta, es una historia que habla sobre el dolor, el renacimiento, la esperanza, las segundas oportunidades, la amistad y el amor, y puede sonar cliché PERO NO OLVIDARÉ ESTA HISTORIA NUNCA. Esa es la magia, el poder en las palabras de L.J. Shen, te hacen sentir todo lo que sienten los personajes, la barra que ella estableció es inalcanzable. ¡No puedo esperar a que la gente lea esta historia, prepárate para el libro más angustioso de esta autora hasta la fecha, es un viaje emocional que posee mi mente, corazón y alma!
This book, oh God, nothing could have prepared me for the explosion of emotions that this book is, it has been months since I read it and I still can't forget it. With exquisite prose and exceptional characters, L.J. Shen gives us an powerful, unique and emotional story, so different from what she has ever written but so amazing, left me speechless!
The plot is complex, intriguing, with secrets that kept me hooked on the story as a crack addict and scenes so intense that they took me from laughing to crying to sighing from one paragraph to another, and left me wanting more.
The characters are EVERYTHING, they are original and interesting. Even though we see L.J. characteristic writing style, they are VERY different from all her previous characters. Our dear Grace is so special, so brave, I love that she is not the typical heroine, and West, even though he is an asshole, rude and cruel, he is also so sweet and loyal and cares so much for those he loves. I love him!
The intense and electrifying chemistry between them is, wow. Can one die of spontaneous combustion? AND THE BEST KISS I HAVE EVER READ I swooned so hard!
This book is absolute PERFECTION, it is a story that talks about pain, rebirth, hope, second chances, friendship and love, and it may sound cliché BUT I WILL NOT FORGET THIS STORY AS LONG AS LIVE. That is the magic, the power in L.J. Shen words, they make you feel everything what the characters feel, the bar that she set is unreachable. I can't wait for people to read this story, get ready for the most angst book by this author to date, is an emotional ride that owns my mind, heart and soul!
Version en español
Este libro, oh Dios, nada podría haberme preparado para la explosión de emociones que es este libro, han pasado meses desde que lo leí y todavía no puedo olvidarlo. ¡Con una prosa exquisita y personajes excepcionales, L.J. Shen nos regala una historia poderosa, única y emotiva, tan diferente a lo que ella ha escrito hasta el momento pero tan increíble, me dejó sin palabras!
La trama es compleja, intrigante, con secretos que me mantuvieron enganchada a la historia como una adicta al crack y escenas tan intensas que me llevaron de reír a llorar a suspirar de un párrafo a otro, y me dejaron queriendo más.
Los personajes son TODO, son originales e interesantes. Aunque vemos el estilo de escritura característico de L.J., son MUY diferentes de todos sus personajes anteriores. Nuestra querida Grace es tan especial, tan valiente, me encanta que no sea la heroína típica, y West, a pesar de que es un imbécil, grosero y cruel, también es tan dulce y leal, y se preocupa mucho por los que ama. ¡Me encanta!
La química intensa y electrizante entre ellos es, guau, puro fuego. ¿Se puede morir de combustión espontánea? Y EL MEJOR BESO QUE HE LEÍDO
Este libro es PERFECCIÓN absoluta, es una historia que habla sobre el dolor, el renacimiento, la esperanza, las segundas oportunidades, la amistad y el amor, y puede sonar cliché PERO NO OLVIDARÉ ESTA HISTORIA NUNCA. Esa es la magia, el poder en las palabras de L.J. Shen, te hacen sentir todo lo que sienten los personajes, la barra que ella estableció es inalcanzable. ¡No puedo esperar a que la gente lea esta historia, prepárate para el libro más angustioso de esta autora hasta la fecha, es un viaje emocional que posee mi mente, corazón y alma!
August 28, 2020
Shen writes a heartbreaking, yet empowering tale of two people overcoming darkness to find light and life within each other and themselves. Her words create a beautiful woven love story, grown from the purity of real friendship, and cultivated by the understanding of grief and pain. Finding the strength and beauty within the scars' real trauma leaves behind. Grace and West stole my heart and will forever keep a piece locked within the pages of their story.
August 30, 2020
Like fire, this book will consume you completely. But in the best possible way.
I cannot do this book justice with words.
This book is incredible. I feel like I lived every part of this book. I was so immersed in it. It's beautiful and inspiring and heartbreaking and it really spoke to me. Some books you just know after reading, that they'll stay with you forever. This was one of those books.
LJ Shen has such a way with words. This book blew me away and I cannot recommend it enough. Her best book to date (and that's saying something!).
I cannot do this book justice with words.
This book is incredible. I feel like I lived every part of this book. I was so immersed in it. It's beautiful and inspiring and heartbreaking and it really spoke to me. Some books you just know after reading, that they'll stay with you forever. This was one of those books.
LJ Shen has such a way with words. This book blew me away and I cannot recommend it enough. Her best book to date (and that's saying something!).
September 16, 2020
❗️https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
🔝 The review above give details about how this book is ridiculous and how the hero is a total irredeemable piece of shit
UNSAFE • Double standards • Sexist
Hero (22) manwhore
-fucked ow 1 (Tess) raw the night he met the heroine 🤢 std’s is saying “hello motherfuckers”
-fucked ow 2 (Mel) after he and heroine are already friends, he fucks her because she reminded him of the the heroine and does it talking about Texas (his nickname for the heroine) *🤬 a few weeks after that he is with the heroine
Heroine (21) no sex live
-she is not a virgin but of course she is celibate for 5 fucking years before getting together with the asshole 😤
* translation: he does it because he is a horny piece of shit who doesn’t respect women
A great review giving us details about this disgusting pig with the other women whom he fucks and treats like shit. Really, when we are reading it like the heroine are we supposed to feel flattered knowing he disrespects the women he fucks? I said it once and I will said I thousand times: heroes who doesn’t respect the women they have sex with are not worthy our time. As a woman I will never understand why is it good that he gets to bang ow after meeting the h but somehow this is okay because he doesn’t respect them? This is misogynistic L.J for fucks sakes. Where the fuck is your sorority? I will never like a man who treat any woman like garbage, what is this shit, they are good enough to fuck but not good enough to be treated with basic human decency?
A good review giving us details of his nasty behavior
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
PS: if you love L.J Shen books and don’t agree with what I have to say I really don’t give a fuck about your opinion because guess what? You are wrong!
MY EXPECTATIONS BEFORE THE RELEASE:
Is this another bad boy manwhore gets the outcast virgin book??? L.J Shen would never go there
Im super excited because I’m sure we may get something like heroine hearing or watching him fucking ow or seeing him getting a blow job. Fuck, I can feel the romance.
We could consider it a win if the man being raped become something to laugh about? A 5 star read for sure if he does end up impregnating her mean sister and then marrying her after having fucked her six ways to Sunday. It’s even more epic if they named their daughter after his rapist. What a beautiful tribute. If it’s a boy they maybe even call him Ted.
Can we call it a miracle if he gets to be in a threesome?
Wait, maybe he won’t fuck anyone, who knows. Actually I’m sure that would kill the romance, a hero who doesn’t whore around after seeing the heroine?? Unappealing, how would I know he can teach the heroine what to do during sex?
But hey, maybe an inexperienced hero can be cute, he can be a false whore!!!!! So don’t you go losing your virginity with any other guy moonshine, maybe there is a sunshine out there wanting him and you would suffer if he only realizes he doesn’t want to have sex with her mid thrust at your’s special place.
Serious now, I think this will be good, he can even be faithful instead of getting tons of blow jobs at the same time he is demanding no other guy touches her.
I’m 50% confident they won’t have any blood fetish though, that’s a plus.
I’m already dreaming about some snack being shoved inside her vagina, chocolate is too 2019 maybe he will use something like a vegan protein bar. If we got real lucky he will use a wheel wrench because I don’t think he has any art supplies.
I’m hoping the heroine is luck enough to be with the hero after he spent the whole summer sucking more than twenty different vaginas, she deserved to be with a guy who knows how to pleasure her. Maybe she will catch an STD but that’s a small price to pay if you get a man who makes you cum with his feet.
Wait, there is a small hope he will “semi” cheat on her but no worries girls, they weren’t actually together, sure they are married, he scared away any guy after her before the weeding even while he was dating ow because he wants that cherry, he got a blow job and fucked two women but he didn’t really want to fuck that last woman, it was a revenge, so everything is okay. They had already fooled around but whatever, no one likes a faithful hero.
Maybe they will get engaged and she will pretend to be with her ex love interest, I hope she is cautious because while she is pretending he wouldn’t bother doing the same, he truly will fuck another woman.
Don’t worry I have faith this is going to be good, he may ask her to have all her firsts even though he saved nothing for her, he even fucked four other girls. L.J doesn’t do double standards
I’m dying to know all about his bad boy dress code, I’m imagining he has some holes on his shirts where the heart is, I swoon over a poetic hero.... humm maybe his superstition involves another part of his body so instead he cut holes on his pants. A practical man, you got love those
I’m curious about their age though. How old is too old to host a party where all the bimbos line up to suck the popular guys cocks?
It’s a small town romance so I can’t stop thinking about small town scandals. Wouldn’t it make the hero the goddess of love if he ended in a sex film with five girls? Uh la la, I’m drooling thinking about what a remarkable stamina he would have
Do you think heroine will be bullied by him? She may suffer and struggle to make money for ten years while he is living his best life all because of him. Shit, I’m crossing my fingers for something like that, that’s a total redeemable act, he may grovel for a couple of months so yesss book boyfriend coming. Everybody knows us women get off on being treated like shit.
As you can see based on her previous books this is going to be very romantic, zero sexist, strong heroine, no doubt standards, no asshole hero and even if the heroine dies there is nothing to worry about, eight months after her death he will be touching pinkies with another woman. It’s going to have a very fair HEA I can guarantee you.
🔝 The review above give details about how this book is ridiculous and how the hero is a total irredeemable piece of shit
UNSAFE • Double standards • Sexist
Hero (22) manwhore
-fucked ow 1 (Tess) raw the night he met the heroine 🤢 std’s is saying “hello motherfuckers”
-fucked ow 2 (Mel) after he and heroine are already friends, he fucks her because she reminded him of the the heroine and does it talking about Texas (his nickname for the heroine) *🤬 a few weeks after that he is with the heroine
Heroine (21) no sex live
-she is not a virgin but of course she is celibate for 5 fucking years before getting together with the asshole 😤
* translation: he does it because he is a horny piece of shit who doesn’t respect women
A great review giving us details about this disgusting pig with the other women whom he fucks and treats like shit. Really, when we are reading it like the heroine are we supposed to feel flattered knowing he disrespects the women he fucks? I said it once and I will said I thousand times: heroes who doesn’t respect the women they have sex with are not worthy our time. As a woman I will never understand why is it good that he gets to bang ow after meeting the h but somehow this is okay because he doesn’t respect them? This is misogynistic L.J for fucks sakes. Where the fuck is your sorority? I will never like a man who treat any woman like garbage, what is this shit, they are good enough to fuck but not good enough to be treated with basic human decency?
A good review giving us details of his nasty behavior
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
PS: if you love L.J Shen books and don’t agree with what I have to say I really don’t give a fuck about your opinion because guess what? You are wrong!
MY EXPECTATIONS BEFORE THE RELEASE:
Is this another bad boy manwhore gets the outcast virgin book??? L.J Shen would never go there
Im super excited because I’m sure we may get something like heroine hearing or watching him fucking ow or seeing him getting a blow job. Fuck, I can feel the romance.
We could consider it a win if the man being raped become something to laugh about? A 5 star read for sure if he does end up impregnating her mean sister and then marrying her after having fucked her six ways to Sunday. It’s even more epic if they named their daughter after his rapist. What a beautiful tribute. If it’s a boy they maybe even call him Ted.
Can we call it a miracle if he gets to be in a threesome?
Wait, maybe he won’t fuck anyone, who knows. Actually I’m sure that would kill the romance, a hero who doesn’t whore around after seeing the heroine?? Unappealing, how would I know he can teach the heroine what to do during sex?
But hey, maybe an inexperienced hero can be cute, he can be a false whore!!!!! So don’t you go losing your virginity with any other guy moonshine, maybe there is a sunshine out there wanting him and you would suffer if he only realizes he doesn’t want to have sex with her mid thrust at your’s special place.
Serious now, I think this will be good, he can even be faithful instead of getting tons of blow jobs at the same time he is demanding no other guy touches her.
I’m 50% confident they won’t have any blood fetish though, that’s a plus.
I’m already dreaming about some snack being shoved inside her vagina, chocolate is too 2019 maybe he will use something like a vegan protein bar. If we got real lucky he will use a wheel wrench because I don’t think he has any art supplies.
I’m hoping the heroine is luck enough to be with the hero after he spent the whole summer sucking more than twenty different vaginas, she deserved to be with a guy who knows how to pleasure her. Maybe she will catch an STD but that’s a small price to pay if you get a man who makes you cum with his feet.
Wait, there is a small hope he will “semi” cheat on her but no worries girls, they weren’t actually together, sure they are married, he scared away any guy after her before the weeding even while he was dating ow because he wants that cherry, he got a blow job and fucked two women but he didn’t really want to fuck that last woman, it was a revenge, so everything is okay. They had already fooled around but whatever, no one likes a faithful hero.
Maybe they will get engaged and she will pretend to be with her ex love interest, I hope she is cautious because while she is pretending he wouldn’t bother doing the same, he truly will fuck another woman.
Don’t worry I have faith this is going to be good, he may ask her to have all her firsts even though he saved nothing for her, he even fucked four other girls. L.J doesn’t do double standards
I’m dying to know all about his bad boy dress code, I’m imagining he has some holes on his shirts where the heart is, I swoon over a poetic hero.... humm maybe his superstition involves another part of his body so instead he cut holes on his pants. A practical man, you got love those
I’m curious about their age though. How old is too old to host a party where all the bimbos line up to suck the popular guys cocks?
It’s a small town romance so I can’t stop thinking about small town scandals. Wouldn’t it make the hero the goddess of love if he ended in a sex film with five girls? Uh la la, I’m drooling thinking about what a remarkable stamina he would have
Do you think heroine will be bullied by him? She may suffer and struggle to make money for ten years while he is living his best life all because of him. Shit, I’m crossing my fingers for something like that, that’s a total redeemable act, he may grovel for a couple of months so yesss book boyfriend coming. Everybody knows us women get off on being treated like shit.
As you can see based on her previous books this is going to be very romantic, zero sexist, strong heroine, no doubt standards, no asshole hero and even if the heroine dies there is nothing to worry about, eight months after her death he will be touching pinkies with another woman. It’s going to have a very fair HEA I can guarantee you.
September 12, 2020
From the moment the author started teasing us about this book, I knew I would love it.
Small town romance.
Angst.
Underground fighter.
An imperfect girl.
It had all I look for in a book.
First, let me say that I have read most books from the author and I can safely say that this is probably my favorite one in terms of characters.
Grace was such a relatable heroine. A struggling young woman, trying to deal with what life has thrown her way from a young age. An imperfect but gorgeous lady, an introvert, a woman who shows us that beauty lies within. A regular girl, working at a food truck who is about to have a lot in her hands because of West St. Clare.
West is the campus ' bad boy. Broody, cold and cruel, nothing but his Ducati his only care in the world.
Both of them carry baggage. What happens when they develop an unlikely friendship?
Beautiful writing, great, solid plot and characters that resemble actual people and not models out of a magazine. I fell in love with West and Grace. I cannot recommend this book enough. Amazing chemistry, sizzling scenes and emotion. Read this gem of a book!!!
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Small town romance.
Angst.
Underground fighter.
An imperfect girl.
It had all I look for in a book.
First, let me say that I have read most books from the author and I can safely say that this is probably my favorite one in terms of characters.
Grace was such a relatable heroine. A struggling young woman, trying to deal with what life has thrown her way from a young age. An imperfect but gorgeous lady, an introvert, a woman who shows us that beauty lies within. A regular girl, working at a food truck who is about to have a lot in her hands because of West St. Clare.
West is the campus ' bad boy. Broody, cold and cruel, nothing but his Ducati his only care in the world.
Both of them carry baggage. What happens when they develop an unlikely friendship?
Beautiful writing, great, solid plot and characters that resemble actual people and not models out of a magazine. I fell in love with West and Grace. I cannot recommend this book enough. Amazing chemistry, sizzling scenes and emotion. Read this gem of a book!!!
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2020
Oh my gosh.
I think I just found my new favourite Shen characters because these two were just everything!
LJ truly packed a punch with these characters. In a world full of perfect and flawless LJ bestowed upon us flawed characters that are perfect in their own ways.
She gave us beautiful, unique characters with heartbreaking pasts and troubled presents. Grace is an incredible woman, her strength shines bright in this book and her story, the way she battles is one of the many reasons I love her, she’s without a doubt my absolute favourite heroine this author has ever blessed us with. West is Something else. He’s an alphahole that doesn’t give a shit but buried deep is a loveable alphahole just waiting to come out. I love his strength and fierceness.
Every teaser and snippet that has been released of Playing With Fire did NOT prepare me for this story and the emotions that follow it. The emotions that are forced upon you are so unexpected, I felt like I was in a whirlwind being hit in every direction with different emotions and in the end, I was an absolute mess. I know without a doubt this book and the characters will stay with me forever, there’s just no forgetting these two, they’ve etched their way deeply into my heart and I’m captivated by everything that is them.
This book is SO different from any other book LJ has released. If you’ve never read a book from this author then please, PLEASE at least read this one, it’s a story that shouldn’t be brushed aside as an “I’ll read later” it’s the kind of book that needs to be read now
Playing With Fire is a heartbreaking angsty romance full of raw stories and beautiful moments and is hands down one of the best books of 2020!
I think I just found my new favourite Shen characters because these two were just everything!
LJ truly packed a punch with these characters. In a world full of perfect and flawless LJ bestowed upon us flawed characters that are perfect in their own ways.
She gave us beautiful, unique characters with heartbreaking pasts and troubled presents. Grace is an incredible woman, her strength shines bright in this book and her story, the way she battles is one of the many reasons I love her, she’s without a doubt my absolute favourite heroine this author has ever blessed us with. West is Something else. He’s an alphahole that doesn’t give a shit but buried deep is a loveable alphahole just waiting to come out. I love his strength and fierceness.
Every teaser and snippet that has been released of Playing With Fire did NOT prepare me for this story and the emotions that follow it. The emotions that are forced upon you are so unexpected, I felt like I was in a whirlwind being hit in every direction with different emotions and in the end, I was an absolute mess. I know without a doubt this book and the characters will stay with me forever, there’s just no forgetting these two, they’ve etched their way deeply into my heart and I’m captivated by everything that is them.
This book is SO different from any other book LJ has released. If you’ve never read a book from this author then please, PLEASE at least read this one, it’s a story that shouldn’t be brushed aside as an “I’ll read later” it’s the kind of book that needs to be read now
Playing With Fire is a heartbreaking angsty romance full of raw stories and beautiful moments and is hands down one of the best books of 2020!
September 15, 2020
This book is one in a billion!
Holy moly this book is something else! I felt so consumed and captivated by the story that I stayed up through the night just to finish it! This is, hands down, LJ's most intense book and I'm saying that as someone who has absolutely loved her previous books like Vicious or Broken Knight. It was so easy to get hooked up on West St. Clair and I'm already going through withdrawals. He is one of the most unexpectedly amazing characters ever written. As I went deeper into the story, I was more and more surprised as we got to see the real him. It was a true reading experience. And Grace? She was so strong and fierce. She went through fire to save herself and came back even more amazing and resilient. Both Grace and West have demons and maybe that's why they just click. It has been a while since I've read about two characters falling into one piece so perfectly.
I also have to mention the secondary characters that at first I didn't like on a personal level but they very quickly grew on me, especially Easton and even Reign.
This book did not feel like LJ, but I don't mean that as a negative thing, take it more like an observation. I can't properly explain it, but I think it's because it had a different vibe than anything she has written before. There are moments, especially in the banter, where I saw traces of her usual witty self, but otherwise, it felt as if she explored a whole writer within herself. And I mean this as a praise.
Holy moly this book is something else! I felt so consumed and captivated by the story that I stayed up through the night just to finish it! This is, hands down, LJ's most intense book and I'm saying that as someone who has absolutely loved her previous books like Vicious or Broken Knight. It was so easy to get hooked up on West St. Clair and I'm already going through withdrawals. He is one of the most unexpectedly amazing characters ever written. As I went deeper into the story, I was more and more surprised as we got to see the real him. It was a true reading experience. And Grace? She was so strong and fierce. She went through fire to save herself and came back even more amazing and resilient. Both Grace and West have demons and maybe that's why they just click. It has been a while since I've read about two characters falling into one piece so perfectly.
I also have to mention the secondary characters that at first I didn't like on a personal level but they very quickly grew on me, especially Easton and even Reign.
This book did not feel like LJ, but I don't mean that as a negative thing, take it more like an observation. I can't properly explain it, but I think it's because it had a different vibe than anything she has written before. There are moments, especially in the banter, where I saw traces of her usual witty self, but otherwise, it felt as if she explored a whole writer within herself. And I mean this as a praise.
September 13, 2020
I finished Playing with Fire at 4am. And OMG, this story is ALL consuming. HANDS DOWN LJ SHEN'S BEST BOOK YET. It is so heartbreakingly beautiful, so breathtakingly tender, so deep and heartfelt and healing. I cannot even put words to what I feel. West and Grace stole my heart. I ached and cried and broke for them. I fell in love with them. This truly is a LJ Shen Masterpiece. A stunning story of rising above in the face of tragedy, of hope and healing and love. I'm blown away! This is something special, you guys. An absolute MUST READ.
September 16, 2020
Where do I begin with my review?
What do I say after I have read and finished one of the best books of 2020?
What words can I say to fully articulate well to show my emotion of what L.J. Shen’s word to do to me each time I open one of her books?
L.J. Shen has always been a ‘read anything’ author to me. Every book she has written has always been a true and explosive ride for me. Her characters, so addictive. Her words, so illuminating. Her books, full of stories that grab a piece of my heart and make me fall in love. She is one of the authors, who writes stories that take you on an unforgettable journey. Whether it is a billionaire romance, a mafia romance, a new adult romance or an angsty read, L.J. Shen takes you deep into her web of stories that will captivate and enchant you forever.
What can I say about Playing with Fire? You have no idea what Playing with Fire did to me emotionally as a reader. Playing with Fire wrecked me. Playing with Fire moved me. Playing with Fire utterly destroyed every single part of my soul. Playing with Fire forged a fire deep in my heart and burned it. This MAGNIFICENT book. This BEAUTIFUL masterpiece of angst and romance. L.J. Shen crafted a raw, honest and heart inducing story with a stunning storyline that left me breathless. Playing with Fire, a standalone written by the talented L.J. Shen, delves deep into touching and soul moving romance. I felt every single word deep in my heart. I fell in love with her characters that cast a spell on me. Unique. Captivating. Emotional. Playing with Fire is a angsty new adult romance that tackles grief, self esteem, trauma, emotional scars and self confidence with a fiery and heartfelt romance. L.J. Shen tackles real life issues in a mind blowing romance and opens your eyes to a phenomenal story. She brings magic into your heart with an unforgettable romance. Playing with Fire burns your heart with breathtaking story, creates embers with youthful love, scorches you with electrifying romance and takes you on a smoking hot ride of your life.
Oh my word. West and Grace. My phoenix couple. My heart bled for West and Grace. My heart broke for them. My heart ached for them. My soul was wrecked because of them. West and Grace, with their wit, chemistry and banter that was so infectious, made me fall in love with their emotional journey of love. Full heartbreaking moments, highs and lows, West and Grace truly conquered my heart with their epic love. They are truly on my list of favourite L.J. Shen couple. I freaking adore them. Their realism, their struggles with their pasts and pain and their strength, I related to West and Grace so much. Who they are deeply really resonated with me. Reading Playing with Fire, I felt like I was reading about my best friends. Grace and West truly like my friends.
Playing with Fire is a romance with so much depth and brilliance. I truly bow down to L.J. Shen for giving me a truly sensational book.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
What do I say after I have read and finished one of the best books of 2020?
What words can I say to fully articulate well to show my emotion of what L.J. Shen’s word to do to me each time I open one of her books?
L.J. Shen has always been a ‘read anything’ author to me. Every book she has written has always been a true and explosive ride for me. Her characters, so addictive. Her words, so illuminating. Her books, full of stories that grab a piece of my heart and make me fall in love. She is one of the authors, who writes stories that take you on an unforgettable journey. Whether it is a billionaire romance, a mafia romance, a new adult romance or an angsty read, L.J. Shen takes you deep into her web of stories that will captivate and enchant you forever.
What can I say about Playing with Fire? You have no idea what Playing with Fire did to me emotionally as a reader. Playing with Fire wrecked me. Playing with Fire moved me. Playing with Fire utterly destroyed every single part of my soul. Playing with Fire forged a fire deep in my heart and burned it. This MAGNIFICENT book. This BEAUTIFUL masterpiece of angst and romance. L.J. Shen crafted a raw, honest and heart inducing story with a stunning storyline that left me breathless. Playing with Fire, a standalone written by the talented L.J. Shen, delves deep into touching and soul moving romance. I felt every single word deep in my heart. I fell in love with her characters that cast a spell on me. Unique. Captivating. Emotional. Playing with Fire is a angsty new adult romance that tackles grief, self esteem, trauma, emotional scars and self confidence with a fiery and heartfelt romance. L.J. Shen tackles real life issues in a mind blowing romance and opens your eyes to a phenomenal story. She brings magic into your heart with an unforgettable romance. Playing with Fire burns your heart with breathtaking story, creates embers with youthful love, scorches you with electrifying romance and takes you on a smoking hot ride of your life.
Oh my word. West and Grace. My phoenix couple. My heart bled for West and Grace. My heart broke for them. My heart ached for them. My soul was wrecked because of them. West and Grace, with their wit, chemistry and banter that was so infectious, made me fall in love with their emotional journey of love. Full heartbreaking moments, highs and lows, West and Grace truly conquered my heart with their epic love. They are truly on my list of favourite L.J. Shen couple. I freaking adore them. Their realism, their struggles with their pasts and pain and their strength, I related to West and Grace so much. Who they are deeply really resonated with me. Reading Playing with Fire, I felt like I was reading about my best friends. Grace and West truly like my friends.
Playing with Fire is a romance with so much depth and brilliance. I truly bow down to L.J. Shen for giving me a truly sensational book.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2020
This is my favorite 2020 read so far with its unique storyline, and captivatingly broken characters you just can’t help but love. Shen not only brought the heat, she also brought all the feels.
**Beta read**
**Beta read**
September 12, 2020
The Phoenix has risen.
This book was unputdownable.
I loved everything about this book, it was so refreshing to read about new characters.
West is your typical bad boy with a past he's trying to get Way from. He doesn't do commitments and doesn't make promises.
But that all comes crashing down around him when he meets Grace.
Grace shows strengths beyond her age and she won't fall for the notorious bad boy. That is until West shows her that she is worth it.
Leigh Shen has a way with words that brings out all the emotions. Thank you for bring West and Grace to life.
This book was unputdownable.
I loved everything about this book, it was so refreshing to read about new characters.
West is your typical bad boy with a past he's trying to get Way from. He doesn't do commitments and doesn't make promises.
But that all comes crashing down around him when he meets Grace.
Grace shows strengths beyond her age and she won't fall for the notorious bad boy. That is until West shows her that she is worth it.
Leigh Shen has a way with words that brings out all the emotions. Thank you for bring West and Grace to life.
September 12, 2020
A beautiful, heart-warming story of two broken souls who find salvation in one another and a romance that is a testament to the powerful force of true love. Another epic masterpiece, written in Leigh's inimitable style, and a book I couldn't put down!
I think this is my new favorite book of Leigh's - I loved every single page!
I think this is my new favorite book of Leigh's - I loved every single page!
September 11, 2020
„I’ll walk through fire for you.”
In the moment when the prologue itself causes your heart to get stuck in your throat, you just know that you’re in for one helluva ride. And dear lord, did L.J. Shen delivered... Playing With Fire consumed me completely. I pulled all-nighter to read that angsty and unputdownble amazingness, there was just no way for me to stop and put it off for later. West and Grace’s story was totally incredible and I’m not even able to express how many emotions I felt during this read. And while this book has the same, flawless and beautiful storytelling L.J. Shen is known for, the story itself is so different from anything I've read from this author. It's unique, totally outstanding and nothing short of fabulous!
West caught my attention instantly. A popular bad boy, shrouded in mystery, with walls thicker than those surrounding castles. This guy is crude, crass, cruel and uncaring. Completely reckless and fearless. I can't count how many times I wanted to get into this book and slap him in the back of the head. But as soon as he lowered his guard, I saw a guy who was vulnerable and lost. A broken man who has lived with guilt for too long. With his walls down, I met West who was caring, supportive and protective and I fell for him hard and fast.
Grace is a girl who is a fighter. She had experienced a terrible thing in life, and although it stripped her of self-confidence, it didn’t break her. She may seem timid and unapproachable from a distance, but as soon as you get close to her, you meet a girl full of sass, snark and feistiness. I adored how loving and caring she was, and how she faced her fears and insecurities and became a woman she was supposed to be. I admire her strenght and perseverance.
These two gave me all the feels! I love how their relantionship developed, how it wasn't rushed, but gradually cemented with care and trust. These two had a lot of barriers to overcome, most of them came from their self-worth, but the progress of both characters made it possible and it was a beautiful thing to witness. West and Grace brought the best from each other and I love them together so much! Their relantionship was full of witty banter, sizzling chemistry and off-the-charts passion!
Playing With Fire is the perfect title for this book because that’s exactly how you feel while reading it. L.J. Shen brilliantly controls how much the flame touches you- in one moment you’ll be gently carressed with its warmth, and the next time it will ignite into a blaze burning everything down. This story has it all- angst, emotions, heat and heart. It's one of my 2020 top reads!
In the moment when the prologue itself causes your heart to get stuck in your throat, you just know that you’re in for one helluva ride. And dear lord, did L.J. Shen delivered... Playing With Fire consumed me completely. I pulled all-nighter to read that angsty and unputdownble amazingness, there was just no way for me to stop and put it off for later. West and Grace’s story was totally incredible and I’m not even able to express how many emotions I felt during this read. And while this book has the same, flawless and beautiful storytelling L.J. Shen is known for, the story itself is so different from anything I've read from this author. It's unique, totally outstanding and nothing short of fabulous!
West caught my attention instantly. A popular bad boy, shrouded in mystery, with walls thicker than those surrounding castles. This guy is crude, crass, cruel and uncaring. Completely reckless and fearless. I can't count how many times I wanted to get into this book and slap him in the back of the head. But as soon as he lowered his guard, I saw a guy who was vulnerable and lost. A broken man who has lived with guilt for too long. With his walls down, I met West who was caring, supportive and protective and I fell for him hard and fast.
Grace is a girl who is a fighter. She had experienced a terrible thing in life, and although it stripped her of self-confidence, it didn’t break her. She may seem timid and unapproachable from a distance, but as soon as you get close to her, you meet a girl full of sass, snark and feistiness. I adored how loving and caring she was, and how she faced her fears and insecurities and became a woman she was supposed to be. I admire her strenght and perseverance.
These two gave me all the feels! I love how their relantionship developed, how it wasn't rushed, but gradually cemented with care and trust. These two had a lot of barriers to overcome, most of them came from their self-worth, but the progress of both characters made it possible and it was a beautiful thing to witness. West and Grace brought the best from each other and I love them together so much! Their relantionship was full of witty banter, sizzling chemistry and off-the-charts passion!
Playing With Fire is the perfect title for this book because that’s exactly how you feel while reading it. L.J. Shen brilliantly controls how much the flame touches you- in one moment you’ll be gently carressed with its warmth, and the next time it will ignite into a blaze burning everything down. This story has it all- angst, emotions, heat and heart. It's one of my 2020 top reads!
September 12, 2020
L.J. Shen decided to play with my heart in Playing With Fire. And I am surrendering without fight. Because there is no way to escape the lethal emotions in this small town romance. It was a breathtaking mix of intense feels. My heart has been taken over by this angsty, inspiring and unique romance. She wrote about some truly unique, inspiring and riveting things here.
I don't know what I expected after reading the blurb and seeing the cover. But I certainly didn't expect THIS KIND OF POWERFUL WRITING. L.J. Shen didn't hit my feels like this like forever. Probably since Broken Knight. And that's something considering I sobbed through that book and pretty much the same thing happened here. West and Grace stripped me raw and left the wires of my messed up emotions exposed. I am feeling all sorts of overwhelming things. This heartbreaking yet incredibly motivating story of two broken people was one of the best angsty romance I have ever read. They have burrowed deep inside my heart. I cried for their pain. I am awed by their strength and resilience. I laughed for their happiness. I was into this journey with them. This was not a love story. It was a life story. They became unlikely friends. And then inevitable lovers. Their love was their healing mantra. Love tested them, destroyed them and rebuilt them from the ashes of their past. It was so beautiful. So epic. So pure. So intense. Everything I could want from a great love story.
Grace Shaw is living behind shadows since that night changed her life completely. Sheridan has abandoned her. And West St. Claire has abandoned his family to start fresh. Basically he is running away from his past. He may be the popular guy but he has his own shadows. Grace doesn't want the attention and West is giving her anyway. They don't make sense to outsiders but they make perfect sense to me! I will remember both these characters with tenderness and affection and a vicious sense of protectiveness. West isn't exactly a bully. He does come across as rude, arrogant and careless with a deadly charm. He does live his life in a reckless and impulsive way. But my heart broke for this broken bad boy. He has a monstrous past and he is dying a bit everyday. He is drowning in guilt, regrets and his own darkness. But Grace was different to him. He always protected her and cherished her and I love him for that. I cannot tell you how much I love and respect this girl! Perfectly imperfect. Flawed and precious. The beauty inside out with her golden heart. So much hurt and yet she fights to glow. She was the light in West's darkness and West made her feel wanted again. They have a connection. A bond forged from secrets and pain. And L.J. Shen just made my heart soar and ache. There was delicious friction of slow burn. The drama and heartbreak. The heat and passion. But above all it was about finding and loving yourself.
Playing With Fire by L.J. Shen made my heart and soul burn so brightly and sweetly. The writing dragged me down to the most beautiful emotional hell and took me to the heaven of angst. One of my favourite L.J. Shen story ever.
I reviewed a early copy voluntarily.
I don't know what I expected after reading the blurb and seeing the cover. But I certainly didn't expect THIS KIND OF POWERFUL WRITING. L.J. Shen didn't hit my feels like this like forever. Probably since Broken Knight. And that's something considering I sobbed through that book and pretty much the same thing happened here. West and Grace stripped me raw and left the wires of my messed up emotions exposed. I am feeling all sorts of overwhelming things. This heartbreaking yet incredibly motivating story of two broken people was one of the best angsty romance I have ever read. They have burrowed deep inside my heart. I cried for their pain. I am awed by their strength and resilience. I laughed for their happiness. I was into this journey with them. This was not a love story. It was a life story. They became unlikely friends. And then inevitable lovers. Their love was their healing mantra. Love tested them, destroyed them and rebuilt them from the ashes of their past. It was so beautiful. So epic. So pure. So intense. Everything I could want from a great love story.
Grace Shaw is living behind shadows since that night changed her life completely. Sheridan has abandoned her. And West St. Claire has abandoned his family to start fresh. Basically he is running away from his past. He may be the popular guy but he has his own shadows. Grace doesn't want the attention and West is giving her anyway. They don't make sense to outsiders but they make perfect sense to me! I will remember both these characters with tenderness and affection and a vicious sense of protectiveness. West isn't exactly a bully. He does come across as rude, arrogant and careless with a deadly charm. He does live his life in a reckless and impulsive way. But my heart broke for this broken bad boy. He has a monstrous past and he is dying a bit everyday. He is drowning in guilt, regrets and his own darkness. But Grace was different to him. He always protected her and cherished her and I love him for that. I cannot tell you how much I love and respect this girl! Perfectly imperfect. Flawed and precious. The beauty inside out with her golden heart. So much hurt and yet she fights to glow. She was the light in West's darkness and West made her feel wanted again. They have a connection. A bond forged from secrets and pain. And L.J. Shen just made my heart soar and ache. There was delicious friction of slow burn. The drama and heartbreak. The heat and passion. But above all it was about finding and loving yourself.
Playing With Fire by L.J. Shen made my heart and soul burn so brightly and sweetly. The writing dragged me down to the most beautiful emotional hell and took me to the heaven of angst. One of my favourite L.J. Shen story ever.
I reviewed a early copy voluntarily.
September 13, 2020
As soon as I got my ARC for Playing with fire , I started reading it and I read it straight forwardly. With her upcoming novel, LJ Shen delivers a wonderful and strong romance with powerful symbolism, with heroes with flaws and so who are far from being perfect and this story wil take your breath away. We can't wait to read the final straw.
I had such a gread reading moment. The mentioned issues are different from LJ Shen's previous romances but there is a common point : the strength hidden deep inside the caracters. They have flaws and their suffering are heartbreaking. The metaphors linked to the plot wil convey a wonderful message and you'll discover an amazing but dramatic story. A must read
Complete review to be read : https://thelovelyteacheraddictions.bl...
I had such a gread reading moment. The mentioned issues are different from LJ Shen's previous romances but there is a common point : the strength hidden deep inside the caracters. They have flaws and their suffering are heartbreaking. The metaphors linked to the plot wil convey a wonderful message and you'll discover an amazing but dramatic story. A must read
Complete review to be read : https://thelovelyteacheraddictions.bl...
September 15, 2020
***Available Now - Full Review***
5+ I RISE CROWNS
Sometimes a book finds you when you don’t even know you needed. Sometimes the theme developed is something you needed to hear when the world feels like it weighs a ton on your shoulders. Playing with Fire by LJ Shen was the book I didn’t even know I needed.
Grace is a heroine unlike any who have come before her. The strength she has to endure, the evolution of her character, and the girl she is at the end are astounding. I was so proud of her and her journey. Proud of the demands she made, the sacrifices she endured. Grace epitomizes the essence of not letting life beat you down, and although she has a tough exterior in the beginning, seeing her set it ablaze and transform into a new woman comfortable in who she is and who knows her worth was a phenomenal experience. She is a force.
West, oh boy, West owns my heart. I’m sorry, but HE IS MY TOP HERO. He had so many layers and depth. Like most of her heroes, he is broken, but he is a bit more surly than the average Shen alpha. And although this demeanor may by similar to previous heroes, he is NOTHING like them. His complexity and layers are many, and the transformation to open his heart had me falling for him. West shows a woman how a man should court a woman and love her fully.
The love between Grace and West is, although at times difficult, transformative. Shen brought us REAL ROMANCE, the ugly, passionate, sweet, hurtful, and kind love. My heart was breaking when it was over because I never wanted to let them go. I wanted one million epilogues. Alas, a reread is what I will have to do, and I’m not mad about it.
Poignantly written, this book showcases the indomitable human spirit. It encapsulates the strength one individual can possess, and it holds so many lessons about letting go, moving on, being happy, and living fully. It is without a doubt one of my favorite reads of 2020 and will be a reread for years to come.
****full ARC review
5+ I RISE CROWNS
Sometimes a book finds you when you don’t even know you needed. Sometimes the theme developed is something you needed to hear when the world feels like it weighs a ton on your shoulders. Playing with Fire by LJ Shen was the book I didn’t even know I needed.
Grace is a heroine unlike any who have come before her. The strength she has to endure, the evolution of her character, and the girl she is at the end are astounding. I was so proud of her and her journey. Proud of the demands she made, the sacrifices she endured. Grace epitomizes the essence of not letting life beat you down, and although she has a tough exterior in the beginning, seeing her set it ablaze and transform into a new woman comfortable in who she is and who knows her worth was a phenomenal experience. She is a force.
West, oh boy, West owns my heart. I’m sorry, but HE IS MY TOP HERO. He had so many layers and depth. Like most of her heroes, he is broken, but he is a bit more surly than the average Shen alpha. And although this demeanor may by similar to previous heroes, he is NOTHING like them. His complexity and layers are many, and the transformation to open his heart had me falling for him. West shows a woman how a man should court a woman and love her fully.
The love between Grace and West is, although at times difficult, transformative. Shen brought us REAL ROMANCE, the ugly, passionate, sweet, hurtful, and kind love. My heart was breaking when it was over because I never wanted to let them go. I wanted one million epilogues. Alas, a reread is what I will have to do, and I’m not mad about it.
Poignantly written, this book showcases the indomitable human spirit. It encapsulates the strength one individual can possess, and it holds so many lessons about letting go, moving on, being happy, and living fully. It is without a doubt one of my favorite reads of 2020 and will be a reread for years to come.
****full ARC review
September 12, 2020
Shen has delivered the unexpected and in my book, easily one of the best novels she has written so far. Putting her unique stamp on a trope I love, each of the protagonists’ emotional journeys is a tale in itself. And the title that conveys layers of meaning would consequently show its perfection. Among other things that grabbed my attention was the well-designed book cover, setting the tone to this gritty story.
Playing with Fire is nothing less than spectacular. I am very much a banter snob and just WOW! It’s snappy, powerful and hurtful all rolled into one. The comebacks, ooh, my! So, who’s on the giving and receiving end of such snarky remarks? Grace Shaw, for one. She’s the quintessential heroine; the sassy lass whose strength never wavers, her inner beauty and imperfections deliberately hidden from prying eyes. With no option to make herself heard, sooner or later she’ll be seen.
‘My battle scars were external, on the surface. His were internal, but cut deep.’
Seeing as West St. Claire is so popular, keeping most of his peers at arm’s length was something of a conundrum. The chip he carries on his shoulder threw me off-kilter too, but I liked how he wiggled his way into Grace’s life and helped her step out of her comfort zone. What I found disturbing were his inner-thoughts, and it wasn’t until I got well into the read that I discovered why he felt as he did.
“West is fearless, and stupidity is bravery’s wife. Recklessness is its wife, something else he has in abundance.”
The ambience surrounding Grace and West is by no means hunky-dory. They’re both going to have to make peace with the past and learn to accept the present if they want to break free. I am in awe of Shen’s storytelling, her prose and dialogue. She evoked all my emotions by keeping the tension flowing and has given all her characters merit where it was due or what they deserved. I cannot recommend this page-turner of a novel enough. Bravo!
Playing with Fire is nothing less than spectacular. I am very much a banter snob and just WOW! It’s snappy, powerful and hurtful all rolled into one. The comebacks, ooh, my! So, who’s on the giving and receiving end of such snarky remarks? Grace Shaw, for one. She’s the quintessential heroine; the sassy lass whose strength never wavers, her inner beauty and imperfections deliberately hidden from prying eyes. With no option to make herself heard, sooner or later she’ll be seen.
‘My battle scars were external, on the surface. His were internal, but cut deep.’
Seeing as West St. Claire is so popular, keeping most of his peers at arm’s length was something of a conundrum. The chip he carries on his shoulder threw me off-kilter too, but I liked how he wiggled his way into Grace’s life and helped her step out of her comfort zone. What I found disturbing were his inner-thoughts, and it wasn’t until I got well into the read that I discovered why he felt as he did.
“West is fearless, and stupidity is bravery’s wife. Recklessness is its wife, something else he has in abundance.”
The ambience surrounding Grace and West is by no means hunky-dory. They’re both going to have to make peace with the past and learn to accept the present if they want to break free. I am in awe of Shen’s storytelling, her prose and dialogue. She evoked all my emotions by keeping the tension flowing and has given all her characters merit where it was due or what they deserved. I cannot recommend this page-turner of a novel enough. Bravo!
September 15, 2020
Playing With Fire is outstanding! I’ve read and loved many books by L.J. Shen and this was so different then what she’s written before. Simply incredible!
This book brings us two broken people going through the motions of college. Both West and Grace have been through fire and looking to rise from its ashes like a Phoenix. Grace with her flawed features and West with his broken promises come together as unlikely pair. They both shine mirrors into each others lives and it is a beautiful thing to read.
I truly loved this book and am amazed by this authors story telling. I’m going to be feeling this book forever. Must read!!
This book brings us two broken people going through the motions of college. Both West and Grace have been through fire and looking to rise from its ashes like a Phoenix. Grace with her flawed features and West with his broken promises come together as unlikely pair. They both shine mirrors into each others lives and it is a beautiful thing to read.
I truly loved this book and am amazed by this authors story telling. I’m going to be feeling this book forever. Must read!!
September 19, 2020
2.5 stars
can 100% confirm there's no chocolate bar, chisels, and fivesome in this book - we all do NOT need to go therapy. phew.
to be honest, the whole premise drew me in because first of all, FOOD TRUCKS (yum), and then there's the whole Hero being your typical new adult bad boy/underground fighter (because apparently every new adult Hero has to be a secret underground fighter), heroine being a social reject - like come on, those are chef's kiss material tropes right there but... it was just meh for me.
✧ p l o t
and can i just say... THANK YOU WEST ST. CLAIRE FOR NOT HAVING A FIVESOME. just had to repeat it because it's a miracle.
WHAT I LIKED :
➸ even though the romance is a bit meh, there were still some sweet moments especially CH 9 when they were shopping for ball cap for Grace, eating Frito pies, celebrating his birthday in the food truck - it was really sweet (something before this chapter kinda ruins things tho but i'll get on that later).
➸ i actually liked Grace's character development when she finally had the confidence to face her fear and even though i can't connect with her character i still like that she cares deeply for her grandma.
➸ ETHAN. this dude needed more screentime. i needed to see more bromance because he was actually such a good best friend?? always looking out for West, always making him sandwiches just to make sure he's eating, aaand without him West would "be all alone in the world". aaawwww.
WHAT I DISLIKED (spoilers) :
➸ okaaay. well let's start with the // OW drama // shall we?
first of all, the same night West met Grace he slept with this OW Tess, who Grace is semi-friends with because they're in the same program.
of course, right before he dropped her off, he stopped by the food truck to apply for the job and Grace saw Tess get on his Ducati and him grabbing her hand to place it on his "crotch"...
... i'm sorry but did i read that right?? ...fucked her raw?? ummmm. did he- did he not use condoms? i-
poor choice of word bro.
anyways. 2.5 weeks later after when Grace and West are already getting to know one another through work and somewhat emotionally connecting, he sleeps with this random OW, Melanie
West calls Grace "Texas", Melanie looks like Grace sooo... y'all can infer why he slept with the OW.
listen, listen. idc that Grace and West are in their acquaintances/frenemies stage during this time and that this and most of the sleeping with OW drama happened 25% mark or less. this still sucks because while Grace was thinking highly of West and already started crushing on him, he goes and does this AND even thinks of her like this:
weeelll... at least she wasn't being compared to a sneezed on pizza. but apparently this is all fine and dandy just because he only does one night stands, doesn't eat the 😺, and he was thinking about Grace while hooking up with Melanie...
i'm sorry but the whole sleeping with the OW while thinking of the heroine excuse is getting old. it's annoying af.
➸ when it comes to the // romance and chemistry // i just didn't feel it here especially in the beginning and especially when they started to emotionally connect, he goes and sleeps with Melanie. also, i didn't really get why Grace started hating on West when he literally said one sentence to her the first time they met. in fact, she had more reason to hate on Reign aka West's asshole friend.
* * *
ughhh i was just bored. i wanted to dnf this soo many times but i powered tf through.
to be honest, i didn't feel much when i was reading this because i didn't feel the MCs romantic chemistry and passion. i guess it was the writing or something especially in West's chapters in the beginning when his nonchalant "romantic" attitude reinforced my nonchalant feelings towards their romance.
i didn't hate it but i also didn't love it, mostly, i just didn't feel anything. but that's probably a me thing i don't know.
just gotta say and repeat it again tho, thank fucking god this isn't like The Hunter!! that book, to this day, still traumatizes me.
can 100% confirm there's no chocolate bar, chisels, and fivesome in this book - we all do NOT need to go therapy. phew.
to be honest, the whole premise drew me in because first of all, FOOD TRUCKS (yum), and then there's the whole Hero being your typical new adult bad boy/underground fighter (because apparently every new adult Hero has to be a secret underground fighter), heroine being a social reject - like come on, those are chef's kiss material tropes right there but... it was just meh for me.
✧ p l o t
↳ after Grace Shaw's (h) accident when she was 16 which scarred her physically, she became invisible and hid in her own shell for the next 5 years until she meets West St. Claire (H) - Sheridan University's "bad boy" who runs and fights in an undergroung fighting rink.
Grace works at a food truck, he gets hired. they become strangers to acquaintances to frenemies to fwb to lovers.
and can i just say... THANK YOU WEST ST. CLAIRE FOR NOT HAVING A FIVESOME. just had to repeat it because it's a miracle.
WHAT I LIKED :
➸ even though the romance is a bit meh, there were still some sweet moments especially CH 9 when they were shopping for ball cap for Grace, eating Frito pies, celebrating his birthday in the food truck - it was really sweet (something before this chapter kinda ruins things tho but i'll get on that later).
➸ i actually liked Grace's character development when she finally had the confidence to face her fear and even though i can't connect with her character i still like that she cares deeply for her grandma.
➸ ETHAN. this dude needed more screentime. i needed to see more bromance because he was actually such a good best friend?? always looking out for West, always making him sandwiches just to make sure he's eating, aaand without him West would "be all alone in the world". aaawwww.
WHAT I DISLIKED (spoilers) :
➸ okaaay. well let's start with the // OW drama // shall we?
first of all, the same night West met Grace he slept with this OW Tess, who Grace is semi-friends with because they're in the same program.
"It was the same night I'd bent her over the Ducati and fucked her raw in the junkyard, barking at her to mind the paint... The morning after I'd twisted Tess' gymnast ass like a pretzel, I gave her a ride home and got rid of her number."
of course, right before he dropped her off, he stopped by the food truck to apply for the job and Grace saw Tess get on his Ducati and him grabbing her hand to place it on his "crotch"...
... i'm sorry but did i read that right?? ...fucked her raw?? ummmm. did he- did he not use condoms? i-
poor choice of word bro.
anyways. 2.5 weeks later after when Grace and West are already getting to know one another through work and somewhat emotionally connecting, he sleeps with this random OW, Melanie
"He basically dragged Mel up the stairs, blood dribbling down his chin, slammed her against the empty elevator bank, and screwed her senseless... Mel told her it was insane and carnal and hot as Hades. But that he didn't even look at her face as he gave her two orgasms... Mel said he kept touching her hair while pounding into her and that he kept talking about Texas."
West calls Grace "Texas", Melanie looks like Grace sooo... y'all can infer why he slept with the OW.
listen, listen. idc that Grace and West are in their acquaintances/frenemies stage during this time and that this and most of the sleeping with OW drama happened 25% mark or less. this still sucks because while Grace was thinking highly of West and already started crushing on him, he goes and does this AND even thinks of her like this:
"Texas was like the city of Troy. Her walls were high, thick, guarded, and not worth the conquest."
weeelll... at least she wasn't being compared to a sneezed on pizza. but apparently this is all fine and dandy just because he only does one night stands, doesn't eat the 😺, and he was thinking about Grace while hooking up with Melanie...
i'm sorry but the whole sleeping with the OW while thinking of the heroine excuse is getting old. it's annoying af.
➸ when it comes to the // romance and chemistry // i just didn't feel it here especially in the beginning and especially when they started to emotionally connect, he goes and sleeps with Melanie. also, i didn't really get why Grace started hating on West when he literally said one sentence to her the first time they met. in fact, she had more reason to hate on Reign aka West's asshole friend.
* * *
ughhh i was just bored. i wanted to dnf this soo many times but i powered tf through.
to be honest, i didn't feel much when i was reading this because i didn't feel the MCs romantic chemistry and passion. i guess it was the writing or something especially in West's chapters in the beginning when his nonchalant "romantic" attitude reinforced my nonchalant feelings towards their romance.
i didn't hate it but i also didn't love it, mostly, i just didn't feel anything. but that's probably a me thing i don't know.
just gotta say and repeat it again tho, thank fucking god this isn't like The Hunter!! that book, to this day, still traumatizes me.
September 11, 2020
Playing With Fire was a brilliant story about overcoming your trauma, fears, vulnerabilities and pain. Rising from the ashes and coming back stronger than ever. This was a book I didn’t know I needed and was beyond powerful and inspiring.
“Because at the end of the day, we are all just phoenixes, rising from our own ashes, taking flight to an unknown destination, our wingtips forged by flames.”
I was completely enamored with Grace. This beautiful woman experienced trauma, pain, death, humiliation. But despite everything, she’s continued to push on. Continued to live her life, little by little. Until a man by the name of West St. Claire came into the picture and completely pushed her outside her comfort zone and showed her just how incredible, strong, beautiful and brave she truly was.
And then there is West St. Claire...goodness gracious this beautifully broken and flawed man. One who experienced death and destruction, but with Grace learned to love again. West was a phenomenal character!
Together Grace and West’s chemistry was completely explosive. From the banter, to the snide remarks, to the kind gestures, to the acceptance and love completely of one another. It was truly beautiful to watch the journey of self discovery, acceptance, and life they went through together and separately.
This beautiful story flowed so effortlessly across the pages. I was completely consumed from beginning to end. This story of Grace and West pulled at all of my heartstrings and had my heart in a tight grip. I felt so close and protective of these characters. When they hurt, I hurt. When they were happy, I was happy. This is a story that I won’t forget.
“Reality is overrated. Say yes to magic.”
This is truly one of my favorite books of 2020! I cannot recommend it enough.
“Because at the end of the day, we are all just phoenixes, rising from our own ashes, taking flight to an unknown destination, our wingtips forged by flames.”
I was completely enamored with Grace. This beautiful woman experienced trauma, pain, death, humiliation. But despite everything, she’s continued to push on. Continued to live her life, little by little. Until a man by the name of West St. Claire came into the picture and completely pushed her outside her comfort zone and showed her just how incredible, strong, beautiful and brave she truly was.
And then there is West St. Claire...goodness gracious this beautifully broken and flawed man. One who experienced death and destruction, but with Grace learned to love again. West was a phenomenal character!
Together Grace and West’s chemistry was completely explosive. From the banter, to the snide remarks, to the kind gestures, to the acceptance and love completely of one another. It was truly beautiful to watch the journey of self discovery, acceptance, and life they went through together and separately.
This beautiful story flowed so effortlessly across the pages. I was completely consumed from beginning to end. This story of Grace and West pulled at all of my heartstrings and had my heart in a tight grip. I felt so close and protective of these characters. When they hurt, I hurt. When they were happy, I was happy. This is a story that I won’t forget.
“Reality is overrated. Say yes to magic.”
This is truly one of my favorite books of 2020! I cannot recommend it enough.
March 24, 2021
Of flames, phoenixes, and pinky promises
Each time I think a particular trope won’t be my jam, Ms. Shen blows all my preconceptions out of the water with one of her stories. Whether it be biker bad boys or friends to lovers romances, this author can get me to read anything, and then love it more than I could imagine. Even when she ventures out of her comfort zone. Her stories often call to my ID, but Grace and West tugged at the deepest darkest reaches of my soul. And frankly, I wasn’t prepared. I feel like each of her books are a mood to me, and if I had to pick for this one, it would be watery smiles, because I had one on my face for most of the book, through this pesky emotional water in my eyeballs. Well played, ma’am, well played.
It may seem like I always wax eloquent about LJ heroines but for good reason, and in Grace she may have created a major favorite of mine. Her strength (such an incomplete word) and her resilience are astonishing, as is her grace, in the face of all the crap life keeps throwing at her. It’s made her all bent and wonky, but never broken; just a baby Phoenix waiting to unfurl her wings and rise from the ashes of her imploding life in a burst of brilliant sparks.
Speaking of broken, West is the epitome of broken bad boy biker with a chip on his shoulder, who will make you collapse with swoon one second, and then make you want to smack some sense into him the next. Even as you want to strangle him at times, his was the character that hit me the hardest. As much as I want to hug Grace and protect her at all costs, and as much as her insecurities resonated with me, his was the damage that spoke to me, and I could relate to his defense mechanisms in ways I couldn’t to Grace’s pure brilliant light. In him I found a kindred soul. It doesn’t hurt that his grovel game is on point.
Both of them are bearers of their own scars and irrevocably changed by them, marred by circumstance and forged by tragedy, but the difference is in how they pick up the pieces. That difference is also what ends up making them the two jagged halves of an imperfect, but complete whole. Their individual journeys are difficult and shattering, but it’s how they heal along their way to each other that’s innervating. With this story, Ms. Shen tore me into tiny little shards and sewed me back together with needles of grovel and threads of hope.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the secondary characters, each of them layered and complex, and just, more than would seem at first glance, integral to the colorful fabric of this coming of age romance. I went in expecting a fresh take on a small town friends to lovers romance, and came out with so much more, an unforgettable story about destruction and rebirth, about inner beauty and the ownership of it, about forgiveness and second chances, about finding your person and your tribe, and holding on to them, a tale both heart wrenching and inspiring.
Each time I think a particular trope won’t be my jam, Ms. Shen blows all my preconceptions out of the water with one of her stories. Whether it be biker bad boys or friends to lovers romances, this author can get me to read anything, and then love it more than I could imagine. Even when she ventures out of her comfort zone. Her stories often call to my ID, but Grace and West tugged at the deepest darkest reaches of my soul. And frankly, I wasn’t prepared. I feel like each of her books are a mood to me, and if I had to pick for this one, it would be watery smiles, because I had one on my face for most of the book, through this pesky emotional water in my eyeballs. Well played, ma’am, well played.
It may seem like I always wax eloquent about LJ heroines but for good reason, and in Grace she may have created a major favorite of mine. Her strength (such an incomplete word) and her resilience are astonishing, as is her grace, in the face of all the crap life keeps throwing at her. It’s made her all bent and wonky, but never broken; just a baby Phoenix waiting to unfurl her wings and rise from the ashes of her imploding life in a burst of brilliant sparks.
Speaking of broken, West is the epitome of broken bad boy biker with a chip on his shoulder, who will make you collapse with swoon one second, and then make you want to smack some sense into him the next. Even as you want to strangle him at times, his was the character that hit me the hardest. As much as I want to hug Grace and protect her at all costs, and as much as her insecurities resonated with me, his was the damage that spoke to me, and I could relate to his defense mechanisms in ways I couldn’t to Grace’s pure brilliant light. In him I found a kindred soul. It doesn’t hurt that his grovel game is on point.
Both of them are bearers of their own scars and irrevocably changed by them, marred by circumstance and forged by tragedy, but the difference is in how they pick up the pieces. That difference is also what ends up making them the two jagged halves of an imperfect, but complete whole. Their individual journeys are difficult and shattering, but it’s how they heal along their way to each other that’s innervating. With this story, Ms. Shen tore me into tiny little shards and sewed me back together with needles of grovel and threads of hope.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the secondary characters, each of them layered and complex, and just, more than would seem at first glance, integral to the colorful fabric of this coming of age romance. I went in expecting a fresh take on a small town friends to lovers romance, and came out with so much more, an unforgettable story about destruction and rebirth, about inner beauty and the ownership of it, about forgiveness and second chances, about finding your person and your tribe, and holding on to them, a tale both heart wrenching and inspiring.
September 12, 2020
'PLAYING WITH FIRE:' Is a full length stand-alone/slow-burn romance book by L.J. Shen. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.'
Where to even begin with this review..
Lately this author has been a bit hit and miss for me when compared to her earlier works which I loved wholeheartedly to recents which have been just ok for me. But I've still read what she's released.
With 'Playing with fire,' it's like she stripped this book down and given us what we'd all fallen in love with in the past because I swear this book right here was pure magic unfolding, these characters stomped all over my heart and left me crying in their wake, their story, their insecurities, their struggles brought such a realistic rawness to this story, making it such a profound rollercoaster of emotionally charged feelings which washed over me throughout this book, I didn't want their journey to end, it was such a bittersweet moment when I closed that last page.
L.J. Shen weaved her magic wand on me within that very first chapter making me fall wholeheartedly in love with their story, these characters will forever have a space in my heart. My heart is full..
All I can say is she's back!! ....
These two characters are going to pull on your heart strings like no others before them. Grace Shaw was one of the most strongest heroines I've encountered in a long time, she used to be one of the popular girls at her highschool, beautiful beyond belief, the cheerleader type, outgoing, outspoken, overly popular then tragedy struck and she became the towns social pariah. Laughed about, talked about, other than her best friend and her Gran she had no one in the world.
Grace works at the only Taco Truck in town alongside her best friend, but when her friend decides to scale back on her work hours and a job position comes up working along side Grace, it's West that fills that position.
Now onto West St. Claire, our golden bad boy of Sheridan University who rides around on a motorcycle, all the girls wanted to be claimed by him and all the boys wanted to be him. He was popular without even trying. He was in a league of his own. He was best known for his underground fighting and his bullying ways.
Working alongside each other an unlikely friendship of sorts was established. Sparks flew, attraction ignited, and over time they depended on each other and realised in the big scheme of things how alike they actually were.
This book destroyed me in the best possible way!! To say I loved it is an understatement!!
Playing with fire by L.J. Shen was raw, riveting, realistic, every emotion known to man kind I felt, everything this author threw into this book I felt. The characters, they were brought to life so vividly in my mind it was like they were right in front of me.
* Teaser used is off the authors FB page, gif made by me *
September 15, 2020
You will be burned!
I would love to feign surprise that LJ Shen made me cry but I'm not that good an actress. I am an emotional reader. I always have been. I have to assume in order to make a reader feel it, the author does too. I honestly don't know if LJ cries, throws tantrums/rages, or sits primly at her desk and types 9-5 until she is done and I don't want to. I want to believe that she felt every hurt, every tear, every lash of disappointment/heartache/painful memories because that is how I experienced Playing with Fire. I said experienced, because I did. I didn't read it and go on my merry way. This book is a live action movie playing in your mind. The words the script. Your emotions the proof that its a blockbuster.
The title, Playing with Fire, is undoubtedly the most apt title ever. I completely understand why LJ Shen sat on it for what seemed like forever. Even the title evokes feelings and emotions...the most difficult part is that they change, morph, and adapt throughout the book. Just when you think you know...you have no idea.
Grace and West are a dream, a goal, and an ideal. Their paths are chaotic, crumbled, and filled with shadows but when they merge and become one- it is breathtaking.
Prepare yourself for waterworks, overly emotional responses, and a need for chocolate/wine/or whatever your soothing method of choice is because it may take awhile before your smile becomes a megawatt grin you can't contain. Also, please use food trucks responsibly some of us are in fear of our next taco!
I would love to feign surprise that LJ Shen made me cry but I'm not that good an actress. I am an emotional reader. I always have been. I have to assume in order to make a reader feel it, the author does too. I honestly don't know if LJ cries, throws tantrums/rages, or sits primly at her desk and types 9-5 until she is done and I don't want to. I want to believe that she felt every hurt, every tear, every lash of disappointment/heartache/painful memories because that is how I experienced Playing with Fire. I said experienced, because I did. I didn't read it and go on my merry way. This book is a live action movie playing in your mind. The words the script. Your emotions the proof that its a blockbuster.
The title, Playing with Fire, is undoubtedly the most apt title ever. I completely understand why LJ Shen sat on it for what seemed like forever. Even the title evokes feelings and emotions...the most difficult part is that they change, morph, and adapt throughout the book. Just when you think you know...you have no idea.
Grace and West are a dream, a goal, and an ideal. Their paths are chaotic, crumbled, and filled with shadows but when they merge and become one- it is breathtaking.
Prepare yourself for waterworks, overly emotional responses, and a need for chocolate/wine/or whatever your soothing method of choice is because it may take awhile before your smile becomes a megawatt grin you can't contain. Also, please use food trucks responsibly some of us are in fear of our next taco!
September 15, 2020
GRACE AND WEST ARE PERFECT, PURE PERFECTION YOU GUYS. BY FAR THE MOST WHOLESOME BOOK I’VE EVER READ.
Before I give my review I have to say that I don't read small-town romances just because I have never been interested in them, but when I heard LJ was writing one I knew I had to give it a shot.
Playing with fire is such a sweet surprise. It is different, it is fresh, and it's the kind of love story that consumes you.
Grace Shaw, is this young girl whose life takes a 180 degrees turn after her house burns down to the ground and now she is left with a burn mark on her face. From being one of the most beautiful girls in her town to the girl who everyone pities, Grace slowly finds herself losing her identity. The confident girl who use to be the star of the plays in her school is replaced with the girl who hides from the light under the shade of her cap. Enters West St. Claire, the quiet man who is known for his underground fights. He slams into Grace's life and tries to refire her flame.
The chemistry between West and Grace is undeniable, they fit in as perfect pieces in a puzzle. West pushes Grace's boundaries and brings out that confident girl she has always been, where else Grace comforts West's scars. Grace is definitely one of LJ’s special heroines. The best part of the book was seeing her evolve into becoming a confident woman she can be. Grace and West both rise through their flames battling their inner turmoils as they complete each other.
15% in the book and I knew this book is going to have a special place in my heart. Just the way the characters are flawed in their own unique way makes this book so much sweeter.
Grace and West's love story is one of a kind, they stole my heart in the sweetest way possible. LJ nailed the small-town romance. What trope can this woman not write? The writing was bang on, the plot was FANTASTIC and the ending gosh! The sweetest way to kill me. West and Gracie are here to steal hearts y’all.
If you are looking for a book that is fresh and something different, the one that will consume from the first page and leave you bursting with happiness at the end then you NEED to get Playing with fire. Word can't express how satisfying this book was to read. Definitely the most wholesome book I've ever read.
Before I give my review I have to say that I don't read small-town romances just because I have never been interested in them, but when I heard LJ was writing one I knew I had to give it a shot.
Playing with fire is such a sweet surprise. It is different, it is fresh, and it's the kind of love story that consumes you.
Grace Shaw, is this young girl whose life takes a 180 degrees turn after her house burns down to the ground and now she is left with a burn mark on her face. From being one of the most beautiful girls in her town to the girl who everyone pities, Grace slowly finds herself losing her identity. The confident girl who use to be the star of the plays in her school is replaced with the girl who hides from the light under the shade of her cap. Enters West St. Claire, the quiet man who is known for his underground fights. He slams into Grace's life and tries to refire her flame.
The chemistry between West and Grace is undeniable, they fit in as perfect pieces in a puzzle. West pushes Grace's boundaries and brings out that confident girl she has always been, where else Grace comforts West's scars. Grace is definitely one of LJ’s special heroines. The best part of the book was seeing her evolve into becoming a confident woman she can be. Grace and West both rise through their flames battling their inner turmoils as they complete each other.
15% in the book and I knew this book is going to have a special place in my heart. Just the way the characters are flawed in their own unique way makes this book so much sweeter.
Grace and West's love story is one of a kind, they stole my heart in the sweetest way possible. LJ nailed the small-town romance. What trope can this woman not write? The writing was bang on, the plot was FANTASTIC and the ending gosh! The sweetest way to kill me. West and Gracie are here to steal hearts y’all.
If you are looking for a book that is fresh and something different, the one that will consume from the first page and leave you bursting with happiness at the end then you NEED to get Playing with fire. Word can't express how satisfying this book was to read. Definitely the most wholesome book I've ever read.
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