From Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen comes the first standalone romance in the Sinners of Saint series,
Vicious
Emilia
They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true.
The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares.
He is a brilliant lawyer.
A skilled criminal.
A beautiful liar.
A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover.
Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.
Vicious
She is a starving artist.
Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom.
Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down.
She paid the price.
Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate.
That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t.
So she hates me. Big fucking deal.
She better get used to me.
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Narrated by Savannah Peachwood & Christian Rummel, start listening to Vicious
5-Stars ~ Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse
Don’t you love that feeling of excitement you get when you read the first paragraph in the first chapter and know that the book you’ve started is going to make you put your life on hold? Ms Shen’s story did just that to me at the drop of a hat. Never was the male protagonist’s nickname taken in vain as he most certainly lived up to this adjective’s definition. Re: the title. Although I skipped no words, what I didn’t do was highlight any passages or jot down notes. Doing so would have essentially slowed my reading pace down which wasn’t an option. By being overly toyed with the plot, I was given no choice but to reread the whole book which I can assure you, was effortless! The author left me spent and guess what… I wanted more! So be warned; Shen’s story isn’t merely reading her written words. Their depth is nothing less than absorbing. The force of the storyline is as such that delving deeply into the thoughts of two diversely different characters’ backgrounds and personalities results in a very challenging and emotional read. The time frame construed made my morbid curiosity yearn for the next move like a bee to a honeypot and it was perfect. In this case, the word perfect is an understatement.
Baron Spencer has reasons for not wanting to use his given name. He also has reasons for being callous and downright ruthless. Figuratively speaking, he provoked my thoughts to such an extent that I could have given him a taste of his own medicine. I felt quite ashamed of myself for loving him regardless of his outrageous behaviour towards Emilia LeBlanc. She just so happened to be in the firing line, and I had no doubt that if it wasn’t her, it would have been someone else. But she was the perfect target in the wrong place at the right time.
“Ms LeBlanc, who am I?”
“A sadistic jerk?”
Vicious’ quest for vengeance is a complicated one and would normally be the recipe for disaster for someone as young as him. I was astounded that nothing ruffled his feathers, that he was in no rush… at all. The timeline is very relevant though. He doesn’t even need to put manipulating skills to the test. He’s a born natural! He’d learnt at an early age the hard way and the situations he plays on are always to his advantage. Nevertheless, Vicious still got under my skin, and still annoyed and bewildered the pants off me!
“I smell a challenge. You know I’m always a little silly for a challenge…”
Now then, the author went to town on her characters’ development in such a way that for me, it was obvious from the start that she wanted to shock the reader. There are no lovey-dovey relationships with any of Vicious’ tight-knit group of friends, either. They know what to expect and stick together… until one of them steps into his territory and upsets well-laid plans depending on how one looks at it. And that folks, is when the merde hits the fan! Yet bent truths have a way of showing their ugly heads sooner or later.
“What’s your problem with me, huh? What have I ever done to deserve this?”
Only Vicious has the audacity to give the noun ‘help’ in parenthesis to a gal who never deserved his ire. Maybe said noun will change into a verb. Wait and see future readers! Emilia is not only adorable, naïve and talented, but also a fighter. Neither her dress sense nor social status worries her. I had her back throughout what was to become a game of deception she had no idea she was participating in. She’s a pawn in a catastrophic secret which was beyond her. If you’re like me and can’t wait for the outcome, get ready ‘cause it’s harsh and will help you to put Vicious’ story into perspective!
“How about you keep your side of the deal, Ms LeBlanc?”
“I will. Eventually. Patience is a virtue.”
Her foremost concern is for her sister whose handicap is one of the bi-roots of this story. However, certain circumstances put me in panic mode because I had no idea how either of them was going to come out of this nightmare unscathed. There wasn’t one moment I sat back and breathed deeply. I was on tenterhooks; on their team cheering them on.
“I don’t know what you’ve got planned for her, but if it’s vicious like you, I’m not going to let you get away with it.”
None of the most important characters swayed their ideals in a fast-flowing but complex story. Some of them grew up side by side and were successful in their joint professions and their joint goals in life. Others weren’t so fortunate. Their ups and downs are at all times, easy to relate to. Except of course, Vicious! But the simple fact that they don’t adhere to his convoluted ways of thinking or his actions was for me, chapeau. His persona is unbendable, he is invincible, and he is outstanding!
“I’m going to regret this”
“Probably.” “But it’ll be worth it.”
Summing up this read is not as easy-peasy as I thought it would be. I hope I haven’t let on because the last thing I would do is inadvertently spoil this read for you. Please take note that I haven’t mentioned the bedroom scenes in this review. I’d like to say more. I won’t! What I can say is the magnetism between Emilia and Vicious is Off. The. Charts, their dialogue—incredible. There was not a single thing I disliked about this book and it’s fast become one of my faves this year. I couldn’t have wished to have had a better initiation into Ms Shen’s storytelling, too. The editing and proofreading which I give a lot of importance to were faultless. Bravo ma’am!
“Am I an idiot for sitting here with you?”
“You’re a lot of things. And idiot has never been one of them.”
“Then what am I?”
You’re … complicated…”
Start binge-reading the Sinners of Saint series available in KU
Ruckus #2
Amazon Print: US | UK | CAN | AUS
Scandalous #3
Amazon Print: US | UK | CAN | AUS
Bane #4
Amazon Universal | US | US | CAN | AUS
Amazon Print: US | UK | CAN | AUS
Defy: A Sinners of Saint Novella
Amazon Print: US | UK | CAN | AUS
L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
Connect with L.J. Shen:
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