Member Reviews
๐๐๐ฃ๐ฆ๐๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐ช, ๐ป๐๐๐ก๐๐ช - ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค ๐ - โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ
๐๐ถ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ณ: ๐.๐. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ - @authorljshen
๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ: ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ข โ ๐๐ข๐ญโ ๐๐ช๐ต๐ท๐ช๐ฏ & ๐๐ฎ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ โ๐๐ฐ๐ธโ ๐๐ข๐ด๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ข๐ด
๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ด:
๐"๐๐ฉ'๐จ ๐ผ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช"
๐ซถ๐ป"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ'๐ด ๐๐๐ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ"
๐๐ฝ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐'๐จ ๐ค๐ก๐๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง
๐ซถ๐ป๐๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด
๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐
๐ซถ๐ป"๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช?"
๐๐๐ฆ'๐ด ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ค๐จ๐จ
๐ซถ๐ป๐๐ง๐ช๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ ๐ญ ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐จ๐๐๐ฃ๐
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฟ!๐
๐ซถ๐ป"๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ฅ๐ข๐บ๐ด"
๐๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด
๐ซถ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ/๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐จ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐
๐๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ
๐๐ฆ๐ท๐ช๐ฆ๐ธ: ๐๐ง๐ช๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฎ, ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก๐ฎ by ๐๐
๐๐๐๐ฃ is another ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐พ๐! This book ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฟ my heart out, stomped on it and then gradually taped it back together in ways only Leigh is able to do and Cal and Row will be one of my favorite angsty couples for months if not years to come! This book was a lot different than what LJ normally writes but was also ๐๐๐๐๐๐ captivating from the ๐๐๐๐๐ page! Row and Cal were a ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐พ๐ waiting to happen and I absolutely ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ every word, feelings, twist and turn until the words โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐!โ
This book kicks off ๐๐ผ๐๐ and the tension between the two MCs only grows as the book goes on! LJ immediately dove into the heat between a younger Cal and Row but then did us ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ with the tragic breaking up of two best friends. The emotions she portrayed in that first chapter alone sucked me into this book and they was she was able to capitalize on the ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐ emotions between Row, Cal and Dylan upon Calโs return home years later kept me reading to see what would happen between the two. While the romance in this book was swoon-level good, the friendship between Cal and Dylan was really one of my favorite parts in this book! The two of these women were ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ hilariously witty. The way they bolstered each other and leaned on the other during this book showed true friendships and healing - an LJ strength!
๐๐ง๐ช๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฎ, ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก๐ฎ is a ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ romance with high angst, tension and simmering emotions throughout. Row and Cal are ๐๐๐๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐พ๐ for each other but are also so ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ that they both are a little hesitant to get hurtโฆor epically oblivious and in denial in Calโs case! LJ created their romance perfectly and in a way that put the emotional turmoil in her other books to shame! Calโs journey to finding herself and healing her traumas was ๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐พ๐ผ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐ to read and it was only elevated with Rowโs relentless need to support her, care for her and ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ her to pieces!
The amount of utter ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ Ambrose Casablancas had for Cal shot him to the top of my book boyfriend list and itโs safe to say he is up there competing with another LJ classic - ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐พ๐๐! Row was my character in this book, his ๐ผ๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ was next level at first but I ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ his snark and personality all the way through! His banter and friendship with Rhyland kept things entertaining since Rhyland gave his sh*t for all the pent up feelings and ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ he had for Cal and I also ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ all the antagonism they put each other through. LJ however, shined with the enemy vibes between him and Kieran! I ๐พ๐ผ๐๐๐๐ wait for Kieranโs book, if only to see Row go postal about his sister falling in love!
Overall, this book was 568 pages of lust, angst, turmoil and learning to love yourself. Leigh wrote a beautiful book full of characters that are ๐ง๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐จ๐ฉ, and ๐๐๐ผ๐ but also ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐ in a story. She did what she does best and provided us with a new book boyfriend with a ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ฉ๐, ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐จ๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ and ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐ก๐ค๐ซ๐ for his woman that is guaranteed to ๐ฉ๐ค๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐จ in the angsty romance lists! Cal and Row were a romance Iโll be revisiting and one that left me satisfied but wanting more of both them and the other wonderful characters Leigh introduced in this series so far!
(P.S. - Letโs talk about ๐๐ผ๐๐! Can we get his book pretty please, cherry on top? I would love to read all about that manโs built up ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ and ๐๐๐๐ฟ!)
๐๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ: 100+; ๐๐ฆ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฌ! ๐๐ข๐ญ'๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ'๐ด ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ ๐ช๐ด ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ง๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ข๐ฎ๐ช๐ญ๐บ, ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฃ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ, ๐ด๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ง ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ญ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ!
Cal (Calla Litvin) has been in love with her best friendโs brother, Ro (Ambrose Casablancas) for as long as she can recallโฆexcept she doesnโt realize it until sheโs in her early twenties. Ro has been madly in love with Cal since the moment he laid eyes on her, but his heart begins to break when he realizes she may not love him back. With an upcoming major life change, can Cal and Ro figure out that they are destined to be together?
First of all, I was gravitated toward this book because itโs L.J. Shen. Second, I love the grumpy x sunshine and enemies to lovers tropes, in addition to the fact that itโs a standalone in a series. I fell for the MMC so hardโฆlike yes, heโs a major asshole at times, but OMGโฆhe is so fiercely in love with Cal and will do anything for her, even help her fight her demons. *swoon* I cannot wait to read more by this author and more in this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and DreamScape Media for the opportunity to listen to an Advanced Listenerโs Copy (ALC) in exchange for my honest opinion.
5/5 โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
3.5/5 ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ
This book stands apart from others LJ has written and I loved it! I am a big fan of this author so itโs fun to see her try something different and just win at it! There is the angst we love from her present her with a sit of a slow burn on the romance. Listen, I donโt even like slow burn but he. Tension was just fantastic! The 90โs tid bits and nostalgia were such a good addition as well!
I loved Row Casablancas! He was so swoon and OTT obsessed with Cal. The was he held a torch for her just had me down bad! His journey in this story was so beautiful! His ambition and drive was sexy. We love a successful man but we love to see MMC really pining! Omg and does he! So damn hot!
Cal was quirky but in the best way! I donโt typically love โquirkyโ but something about her just captured my heart! I felt for her and laughed with her. Sometimes I did want to shake her but only because I loved the way Row loved her and she deserved to experience it without hesitation.
This book rightfully got 3.5 peppers from me! It was hot, hot, hot when the spark fly! Cal was a very, very lucky woman! And so am I because I had the audiobook which was fantastic! Teddy Hamilton and Lila Winters did an amazing job bringing this one to life!
I would definitely recommend this book and I look forward to more from this new world!
I like when the guy falls hard, is closeted to admit it out loud, yet his secretive actions prove his love. Ro and Ca have known each other since high school-he was even her first-and connect again once Cal returns back to their hometown. Although I found the plot line to be dragging some and one spicy scene a bit out of the norm and uncomfortable, overall, the story was a good open-door romance told in dual, first person PoV. I listened to this on audio and I really enjoyed it, the dual narration was fantasticโฆboth narrators had so much emotion and their pacing was impeccable. 3.75 for the book, 4..5 stars for the narrators.
Right from the start I knew Cal was my spirit animal. She was so dorky and awkward that you canโt help but laugh out loud. I donโt even know where to start with Row. Heโs a grumpy pants hot billionaire chef. The banter between these two is comical. I absolutely love Row and the fact that while he can be a total ass to everyone, we see his softer side when heโs around Cal. These two know actions speak louder than words and the way they choose to show their love for each other brought a huge smile to my face. I devoured the audiobook in no time. Such a great cast. I cannot wait for Dylanโs book. Iโm really looking forward to see what Ms. Shen has in story for the rest of the series.
All the feels and angst wrapped up in this audio. Cal is back in town to help her mother recover from a loss and as they are both healing she needs a job. Row is a star chef and TV personality, a judge of cooking shows, and when she finds out his newest local restaurant has an opening she applies for a job. These two hooked up years ago before she left town and now he does not want her on his turf. Oh my, bring the banter to a whole new level. Then they bring the steam. Will it last or will it fizzle. This one was so good. I cannot wait to see where this series progresses.
๐งALC Audiobook Review๐ง
Dual Narration by Lila Winters & Teddy Hamilton ๐ซ
Spice: 3๐ถ๏ธ
What an absolutely delicious story- I devoured this, and licked up every damn crumb. ๐ฝ๏ธ LJ Shen is fast becoming one of my go-to authors, when I need something spicy, funny, and well written.
This was one of the most entertaining audiobooks Iโve ever listened to, due in no small part to the expertly executed grumpy x sunshine trope, and the perfect dual narration by Lila & Teddy. They each played their parts beautifully, seamlessly navigating between the various characters. I was completely sucked in from the very first chapter, to that beautiful poignant ending.
There was god tier banter, emotional depth, character development, and lots and lots of dry humor. I was blown away by the comedic timing of both narrators.
And donโt even get me started on the spice. ๐ฅต It was plentiful, and highlyโฆ creative. I will never be able to look at my kitchen counter, a certain vegetable, and at least one variety of Christmas candy, the same ever again.
10/10 recommend ๐ค๐ค
3.5 rounded up. This grumpy vs. grumpier romance follows Calla, who returns to her hometown after her fatherโs death and unexpectedly works for her former fling, Row, a now-famous chef who holds a grudge against her. The story features classic tropes, such as an anonymous online relationship that predictably involves Row. Still, it drags as both characters dwell too long on their inability to be together. While the plot had potential, it felt slow at times. Narration-wise, I wasn't a fan of Teddy Hamilton's performance, which lacked the depth needed for Row (It should've been Sebastian York). Still, I adore Lila Winters, one of my favorites, and she is fantastic at delivering an emotional and engaging portrayal of Calla, even when the character leans toward being a bit dreary.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ALC for an honest review.
i was excited for this one, but it fell flat for me. i really didnโt particularly like either of the main characters which made this one hard for me to get through. it was also a bit longer and dragged out more than it needed to be.
L.J. has become one of my favorites with this book. The banter is amazing. It had me giggling and twirling my hair around my fingers. Ambrose Rhett is definitely swoon worthy. The LITERAL MOUTH on that man, my lawwwdddds! ๐คค๐ฅ
"Truly, Madly, Deeply" by L.J. Shen kicks off the Forbidden Love series with a bang. When Cal returns to her hometown after the loss of her father, she's got a lot to deal withโher mom, her old best friend Dylan, and Row, her ex-best friend's older brother, whoโs now a Michelin-starred chef. Cal's got her reasons for avoiding men, but Row was the only one who ever made her feel safe, even though now he can't stand her.
Cal ends up working for Row at his pop-up restaurant, and letโs just say, things get real complicated, real fast. Calโs character development is spot-on. Sheโs shy, quirky, and dealing with major trust issues stemming from a rough high school experience. But she grows so much throughout the book, and itโs awesome to watch. As for Row? Heโs always been stuck on Cal, even though he tries hard to forget her. Heโs got that whole alpha-hole vibe going, pushing her away while still protecting her and being unable to shake her from his thoughts. And that kitchen scene? Yeah, that oneโs staying with me forever.
If you're into romance with serious spice, drama, and some intense tension, "Truly, Madly, Deeply" is a must-read. Add it to your list ASAP!
The โTruly, Madly, Deeplyโ audiobook was brought to life by Lila Winters and Teddy Hamilton, and they crushed it! Lila nailed it as CalโI could totally feel her past trauma and the emotional journey of her relationship with Row. Teddy Hamilton as Row? All the grumpiness, all the spice, and everything he went through came through perfectly. But honestly, the banter was the best part! It had me cracking up and was the perfect balance to the more emotional moments. Such a fun listen!
Thank you to @authorljshen and @dreamscape_media for the #gifted audiobook for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book was cooking something hot! The narrators did an excellent job and it was a really good book to listen to! The story itself is really cute and I love how the male main character has been pining for the female main character! I will say the major conflict in this was a little cheesy for my taste but still a great book!
This book might work better for me in print than it did in audio. I enjoyed the storylineโenemies to lovers is one of my favorite romance genresโand it was easy to stay engaged because everything felt well-developed without being overly detailed. I absolutely loved Row (big thanks to the author for shortening his nameโIโm not a fan of the full version, haha). On the other hand, I didnโt connect as much with Cal, but that could be due to my age. Sheโs really into the โ90s, which takes me back to when I graduated high school, so it felt a bit off for me. However, Iโm sure other readers will appreciate that aspect. As for the narration, the male narrator was fantastic, but I wasnโt as fond of the female narrator. Thatโs why I think I might prefer reading the physical book instead of listening to the audiobook.
Iโm going to be honest, I had such super high expectations for this book being my first by the author, that I probably hurt my own feelings. It was still a good romance! I just kind of wanted more.
Grumpy chef and his sunshine ex-love interest and new employee was such an amazing combination ๐ i enjoyed listening to each chapter of this book.
This is my first read from the author's work yet I absolutely loved and enjoyed reading this. Plus the voice of the voice actors added more charm to the plotline. Overall it was a brilliant grumpy sunshine lovestory.
Truly Madly Deeply delivers on the darker elements of romance, with trauma woven deeply into the plot and backstories. Before diving in, Iโd recommend checking out the content warnings. While the exploration of Cal and Rowโs trauma is central, I found the pacing a bit slow, and the backstory reveals didnโt add the depth I hoped for. The miscommunication between the characters felt drawn out, and I didnโt quite get the emotional resolution I was expecting.
On a lighter note, I loved the 90โs nostalgia with song titles kicking off each chapter and the added text threads.
Lila Wintersโ narration was the highlight! She did an amazing job bringing these characters to life and really carried the book for me. Teddy sounded older than the character should have been. It kept throwing me out of the story.
Overall, Truly Madly Deeply offers a heavy, emotionally intense read that fans of dark romance may appreciate. While it wasnโt exactly what I hoped for, L.J. Shenโs exploration of deep themes and Wintersโ stellar narration will resonate with readers who love this genre.
๐ Tropes:
Best Friendโs Brotherโจ
Only Eyes for Youโจ
Touch Her and ๐โจ
Boss x Employeeโจ
Small Town
๐Best Friend's Brother
๐Enemies-to-Lovers
๐Grumpy/Sunshine
๐Second Chance
๐Boy Obsessed
๐Billionaire Romance
๐Touch her & ๐ช
.
โHeaven is not a place, it is a person, and it is you.โ
.
Review: First off, let me just say that LJ Shen is one of my favorite authors! I absolutely love her books. I was so excited when Truly Madly Deeply was announced! I absolutely love the Best Friend's Brother + Boy Obsessed tropes. Pretty much, my kryptonite! Absolute chef's kiss! This is book 1 in LJ's new Forbidden Love series, and it was such a perfect start!
Calla (Cal) Litvin is the quirky girl who loves the 90's and true crime. Ambrose (Row) Casablancas is a famous chef who hates everyone, but his sister, his mom and one other person. This broody chef only has eyes for one. The infuriating, best friend, of his little sister. The banter and tension between these two was ๐ฅ! Row has it down BAD for Cal and I freaking LOVED IT! The way this man protects her, but also encourages her to spread her wings is truly beautiful! I could connect with Cal on a few different levels. I often just wanted to hug her and tell her it's ok, take the leap... it's worth the risk! I do have to say Row's chapters were my favorite. I love his internal dialog!๐คฃ Row is a grumpy, obsessed masterpiece, and I am soooo here for it!The mouth on this man is literal perfection. He would be the grumpy to my sunshine perfectly! ๐ I loved the character growth that Cal went through and when everything finally clicked for her. Row truly was the perfect man for her. These two complement each other so well.
โAm I your girl?โ
โNo.โ He shook his head.
โYouโre my everything.โ
I absolutely loved the side characters and I REALLY hope they each get a story. Dylan needs to get an HEA, like now!๐คญ Then there is Rhyland and Taylor! I NEED their stories too!๐๐คI listened to the audiobook by Teddy Hamilton and Lila Winters. Lila was new for me, but she did great as Cal. They both did a great job of bringing these two to life! I am so excited for more of this new world!
I love a good spicy romance where our characters argue or dislike each other to start. Though in this they actually both really like each other and are kind of just fighting with themselves and their own feelings of doubt which made for an even better story. You get see someone who feels powerless earn their power back all while finding their forever.
Story Rating: โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ (0-5)
Narration: ๐ง๐ง๐ง๐ง๐ง (0-5)
Overall: 4.5/5
Steam: ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (0-5) I bump up for public places/outdoor spaces.
What Iโm Starry-Eyed Over:
๐คฉ Teddy Hamilton does the mean, rude, abrasive vibes of Ambrose (Row) Casablancas so well.
๐คฉ The feels are so strong, but weird, because the longing is deep but I also kind of dislike Row at times because of his strong personality.
๐คฉ Cal is laugh-out-loud hilariousโI just love her quirky, no-nonsense personality. And Lila Winters performs her so amazingly.
๐คฉ Such beautiful writing with gorgeous descriptions and details. I feel like Iโm there, immersed in all the scenes and activities.
๐คฉ Best friendโs brother, then and now, her first time.
๐คฉ Great (and frustrating) small-town plot.
๐คฉ Boy obsessedโitโs always been you.
๐คฉ The actually horrible enemies-to-lovers banter
๐คฉ That need to knowโwhat her trauma is, why they are enemies.
๐คฉ When I highlight full pages because itโs so hot and beautiful and amazing.
๐คฉ The online chats in Androphobes Anonymous forum, with secret identity, are fantastic and give some comedic and friendly relief to all the other negative vibes.
๐คฉ Slow burn to smokinโ hot, such great chemistry.
What Iโm Wishing/Dizzy About:
๐ซ Waiting for a Row POV chapter, for Teddy to come in. And, kind of wanting more Row chapters because Teddy!!
๐ซ Some therapy would have made me better believe in their HEA.
๐ซ I like a little steamy goodness after the drama/time apart.
๐ซ KieranโI love him and need more of him!
CautionโTrigger Warnings: child abuse, bullying, group assault (flashbacks on page).
This book hits a few of my favorite tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, second chance, and he falls first. I mean, Row is literally obsessed with Cal to the point that he's willing to risk her destroying him again just to get a little part of her. To me, despite her obvious ptsd and anxiety issues, Cal was so extremely oblivious of his feelings that I just wanted to shake her and send her to counseling lol. Anyway, there was great tension, fun banter, and lots of emotions in this book as the two learned to trust each other again. I will never look at candy canes and zucchini the same way again ๐ณ I'm excited to find out what happens with Dylan and Kieran next.
I listened to the audiobook version and the narrators were great. Their voices carried all the emotion and they were clear and easy to understand. They made the characters come alive.