This was my first book by the author and I will definitely be reading more. She falls first, but he falls harder. Row was such a great, grumpy character. Everyone wants him, but only has eyes for his Cal, his sister’s quirky, socially awkward best friend. And Row is obsessed!! The little things he does for her is so sweet! Their banter and chemistry was off the charts. There was so much tension and angst throughout the story, but I loved how everything came together in the end. This is the first stand-alone in the Forbidden Love series, and I can’t wait for the next book.

Narrated by Lila Winters and Teddy Hamilton who did a phenomenal job. I would definitely recommend the audiobook.

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Forbidden
✔️Grumpy x sunshine
✔️Best friend’s brother
✔️Touch her and ☠️
✔️Boss x employee
✔️Small town

“He was a morally gray hunk who was a total red flag— my age group’s favorite color scheme.”

Thank you @dreamscape_media for my ALC!

The beautiful Queen does it again! I immediately fell in love with Cal. This book really start off with a bang, haha pun intended. I was invested from the very beginning. Cal is so quirky and fun to read about. She really struggles with anxiety and being a people pleaser and that is very relatable to me. She falls for her brothers best friend because she trusts him. Once you get into the story you find out why. It is gut wrenching. I found myself with happy and sad tears. Shen knows how to pull out all the emotions from me. This book was very entertaining and had an engaging plot. It became very hard to put down.

I started reading this author back in 2020 and she had yet to disappoint me.

~QUOTES~

Please just do it. Great, now I sound like a Nike commercial

I don’t feed bullies. They’re already full of shit.

A good friend is a treasure and treasures are hard to find.

Go on. Touch the sky. That’s where I’ll be waiting for you.

I like dicks with my whole heart and my entire vagina.

Squeeze my heart! Truly Madly Deeply by LJ Shen was a swoony and emotional small-town romance that consumed me from start to finish. Cal and Row’s journey was a long time in the making full of secret pining, witty banter, and intimate moments that I couldn’t get enough of. This is book one in Shen’s Forbidden Love series, and I’m already ready for more.

Lila Winters and Teddy Hamilton perform this audiobook in dual narration, embodying their characters to the fullest. Lila’s performance had me feeling every bit of Cal’s past trauma along with a vulnerable and desirable side that she only let Row see. Teddy channeled some grumpy, demanding energy to showcase Row's inner turmoil and broken-hearted persona. However, his voice also touched on Row’s swoon-worthy demeanor. Both narrators created the perfect amount of lust, love, and steamy tension between this couple too.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of a small-town romance with a hot broody chef, an aspiring true crime podcaster, enemies-to-lovers vibes, moving home, rekindling old friendships, 90s pop culture, O. Henry chocolate bars, notes from dad, boss-employee, dangerous threats, butcher block spice, online chats, love declarations, confessions about the past, risking it all, and a HEA that you will love deeply, then you will adore Cal and Row’s romance. I am looking forward to more from LJ Shen.

This one doesn't read like a typical LJ book - it is definitely marketed more towards the masses. It lacks the bully/angst/aggressive trauma that I love in her books. However it's a fun, spicy enemies to lovers/grumpy sunshine adult romance. There is no question the characters are adults in this one and dealing with adult problems.

It's heavy on the best friends brother trope and second chances. He is a gruff chef which is hot. Fantastic I'll have fourteen more.

There is a questionable scene involving a cucumber and candy cane. You've been warned.

Teddy was fantastic on the audio. I didn't love the female narrator as much, and I think this would have benefited from duet narration (yes I am spoiled).

I can see a lot of people loving this story.

Thank you dreamscape for the gifted alc to read and review.

LJ Shen is the first indie author I ever read and she will always be a favorite. My Shen Shelf is absolutely too full of every edition I can get my hands on and I have zero regrets 😍

What to expect from Truly Madly Deeply 👉🏼 Best Friend’s Brother, Second Chance, Grumpy/Sunshine, Enemies to Lovers, Boss/Employee, Billionaire, It Was Always You

I did an immersive read for the first time all year and I was able to fly through this book.

After giving her v card to her best friend’s brother in the most cliche way, Cal loses her best friend, the boy she has always secretly loved and the home she vows never to return to. Back for her father’s funeral—full of regrets—Cal must face her demons and repair her broken relationships.

Cal is hilariously quirky. From the clothes she wears to the things she says. She had me snort-laughing so many times. Row was sooooo grumpy. But even through the a-hole-ness, he always cared about Cal. Row’s ability to stay mad at her was vapor thin and the SPICE 👀😮‍💨! This may have been the most spice I’ve ever read in an LJ Shen book?

This book is a tad on the longer side at 509 pages but with the audio/eyeball combo I still blazed through it in a day and a half 💙💖

4.5

After a five-year separation, the universe conspires to reunite grumpy Michelin star chef Row Casablancas with Cal Litvin—the infuriating best friend of his baby sister. But there’s more to their history: Cal is also Row’s former crush. Will their old flame reignite and set them both ablaze?

Here’s why I adored this book:
First, there's Cal and Row's witty banter and vulnerability. Their interactions are a delightful blend of sharp wit and raw vulnerability. Their banter crackles, and their moments of openness reveal so much. As they navigate their demons and confront their pasts, I found myself rooting for them and their necessary individual growth so they could be together.

Next, it's the audiobook magic of these narrators! Teddy Hamilton and Lila Winters breathe so much life into these characters. Hamilton’s growly voice perfectly embodies Row’s broody demeanor, while still conveying the depth of his feelings for Cal. Winters captures Cal’s sunshine personality and quirkiness, while skillfully portraying her fears and eventual growth. Both narrators brought the heat with the undeniable chemistry between Cal and Row!

Cal’s relationship with her best friend (who happens to be Row’s sister, Dylan) adds heartwarming layers. Despite their estrangement at the beginning of the book, their ride or die love for each other shines through.

And oh, the 90s nostalgia! The music references woven into the story evoke a sense of nostalgia that enhances the reading experience.

Truly, Madly, Deeply is a captivating tale of love and healing with a touch of suspense. I’m secretly hoping for a spin-off featuring Dylan—because who wouldn’t want more of this world?

Truly Madly Deeply
(Forbidden Love, #1)
L.J. Shen
4☆

How is this my first L.J. Shen read? Definitely won’t be my last.

This old flame just might set him on fire.

Enemies to lovers is one of my absolute favorites and Row and Cal’s slow-burn story was all that and more. I could not get enough of the humor, the banter, the tension, and of course the outstanding chemistry. 🔥 It’s got a lil darker vibe to it which I ate up, but just make sure to check the TW’s before going in. I adored the side characters and cannot wait to see where this series goes next.

What I enjoyed;
- Small Town Romance
- Enemies To Lover
- Best Friends Brother
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- He Falls First
- Forbidden Love

I was lucky enough to get my hands (umm or should I say ears) on an ALC and I am so glad I did. Lila Winters and Teddy Hamilton’s narration was total 🤌🏻 perfection! I had so much fun listening to this one. Thank you Dreamscape for the gifted copy and for allowing me to be a part of your amazing Street Team.

4/5 🌟
3/5 🌶️

Where do I start? I loved this book! It combines the classic “grumpy x sunshine” and “enemies to lovers” tropes perfectly, bringing so much tension and chemistry between the characters. Ambrose Casablancas, a renowned chef, and Calla Litvin, his baby sister’s best friend, have a complicated and fiery history that reignites when Cal returns home looking for a job.

Cal’s quirky and compassionate nature is a great contrast to Ambrose’s brooding and guarded demeanor. Their journey from past misunderstandings to undeniable attraction kept me hooked.

I recommend this book if you’re in the mood for a well-paced, spicy romance with memorable characters and a bit of angst. It’s the first in the Forbidden Love series, but it can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the free audiobook!

I really enjoyed this one! It reminds me a lot of Things We Never Got Over (75% due to tropes, 25% due to Lila Winters!), which is a very high complement in my book!

While the synopsis mostly focuses on the romance, there’s way more to the story than just the relationship between Row and Cal. Don’t get me wrong, the love story is FAB and features so many tropes we know and love (without feeling trope-y or cliche!), but there’s also major time given to Cal and Dylan’s friendship, Row’s business ventures, and the mystery of escalating violence in their small community. I so enjoyed reading this one and want to go back to Staindrop, Maine, already!

Read if you like:
Chef/restaurant setting
Celeb/normal
Grumpy/sunshine
Best friend’s brother
Small town (there’s a town hall meeting!)
He falls first
“It’s always been you”

Note: The beginning of this book is a little rocky. I even stopped reading it I during the prologue because it was steamy right away and the dialogue was very cheesy. I thought if the whole book is like this, then it’s not for me. I ended up giving it another try because I know lots of readers who really enjoy this author. I’m glad I did! TL;DR: keep going!

Audio: The Truly Madly Deeply audiobook is performed by Lila Winters (we love) and Teddy Hamilton (our king). How could it NOT be amazing? Absolutely 100% recommend on audio.

Overall ratings
Exact star rating: 4.38
10-pt star rating: 4.5
5-pt star rating: 4

Attribute ratings
Characters: 4
Atmosphere/Setting: 5
Writing Style: 3.5
Plot/Pacing: 4.5
Intrigue: 4
Logic: 5
Enjoyment: 4.5

I haven’t read a book by this author in a while, but this felt completely different than the past books that I have read. It had a more lighter feel to it, but still had the alpha a-hole vibe to it for the main male character, Row.

Calla and Dylan were best friends until Cal made a mistake and gave her v-card to Dylan’s older brother, Row. Only to be caught by Dylan, who thus ended their friendship.

Cal left the small town of Staindrop soon after. She hadn’t been back until her father’s death five years later. She runs into Row, who is also temporarily living back home.

I really enjoyed this book so much. I loved that Row fell first. Actually, he’s always loved her. The way he showed that love to her, protected her, and took care of her. Awww, so sweet.

Cal is a quirky and adorable main female character. Yet, she is strong and resilient. Very likable.

It was a tad long in parts, hence the four stars. I listened to as well as read this book. The narrators, Teddy Hamilton and Lila Winters, were great.

Thank you to Literally Yours PR for the advanced readers copy. Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the advanced listeners copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I always love when I read a romance that has super spicy scenes, but also a love story that has depth and emotion; and Truly, Madly, Deeply delivered on that!

I listened to the Audiobook, and absolutely loved the Dual narration, and both narrators. It kept me captivated, and interested the entire time!

I loved all the throwbacks to the 90s, especially the different songs each chapter was named after. I loved the bits of forum messaging between Cal & Ro, and how the story weaved in pieces of their past both individually and together.

Ro was the perfect man for Cal, it just takes her longer to realize that. And their epilogue was absolutely perfect! I really hope they make cameos in the books to come in this series! Can’t wait to see who gets the next book because I really enjoyed meeting all the side characters in this story. (Fingers crossed Dylan gets her book next).

Overall, I highly recommend to all my Romance Reader girlies, this was so good!

Truly Madly Deeply by L.J. Shen is a captivating addition to the romance genre, blending the beloved grumpy-sunshine and enemies-to-lovers tropes into a compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.

The story revolves around Ambrose Casablancas, a renowned Michelin-starred chef whose life is meticulously controlled and focused solely on his culinary empire. Women, to him, are distractions—especially Cal Litvin, his sister's best friend and the woman who has been a thorn in his side since their messy goodbye years ago. Ambrose's world is turned upside down when Cal reappears, seeking a job and a fresh start after a series of personal setbacks.

Cal Litvin, the quirky and compassionate heroine, returns to her hometown to support her grieving mother. Jobless and struggling, she hopes to rekindle her friendship with her former best friend, only to find herself entangled once again with Ambrose, the man she's secretly loved since middle school. Their interactions are filled with tension, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry, making their journey from adversaries to lovers both intense and heartwarming.

L.J. Shen masterfully crafts a story that delves into themes of redemption, healing, and the power of second chances. The characters are richly developed, with Ambrose's gruff exterior hiding a deeply vulnerable side and Cal's sunny disposition masking her own insecurities. Their growth throughout the novel is both realistic and emotionally satisfying.


I loved the audiobook , the narrators did a great job bringing Row and Cal to life, I could feel everything from their narration.

Overall, Truly Madly Deeply is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, filled with angst, humor, and steamy romance. It's a testament to L.J. Shen's talent for creating unforgettable characters and stories that resonate long after the final page is turned. Fans of contemporary romance will find this book a delightful and addictive read.

Did anyone else spend the entire (nearly) 16 hours of this audio wishing Cal & Dylan would just ditch everyone else and fall in love already?
No. Just me?
This book was waaay longer than it needed to be, the side quests included in here were a plenty, but wholly unnecessary for the most part.
And the male love interest?
Kind of impressive how he was both boring and overbearing at the same time.

Now Dylan & Cal? Them two ladies could have had something.
The banter with them was fabulous!
Their close and entertaining friendship could have turned into a beautiful sapphic love story.
Which is what I found myself daydreaming about instead of focusing on the story being presented.
Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for my ALC.

I fell truly, madly, deeply for this couple!

Row is the grump of all grumps and Cal is such a beautiful quirky character. They're a bit of a mess but together make the perfect sense. I so enjoyed the banter and the unexpected moments of humor along with it. As much as I loved Cal & Row I also have to give a shoutout to Row's sister, Dylan. I also loved all her bits in this book and hope we get her story!

This book was a wonderful returning home and conquering your fears (and childhood crush) story. I was provided an audio copy to review and narrators Lila Winters and Teddy Hamilton nailed these characters perfectly! Great audio and I thank the author and Dreamscape for the early listen!

Thank you Dreamscape Media for my gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review.


I can tell right away if I’ll enjoy an audiobook, and this one I knew right away I would love it. Both of the narrators were amazing and easy to listen to. I listened to the first half of it in one sitting because I couldn’t get enough.

The prologue was kind of long, but with the narrators it went super fast.

This was a fun story and loved getting to know the characters. I wish there was a little bit more of flashbacks for interactions while in high school, but I still loved it.

This was full of steam, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!

** spoiler alert ** Cal is back to her home town for her father's funeral. There she meets up either her former crush who is her former BFF's older brother. Ambrose (Ro) is a famous chef who recently opened a pop up restaurant in their hometown.

We see Cal try to restore her relationship with Dylan, her bff as well as befriends Ro. Cal is outgoing and funny but there's another side to her that only Ro sees.

I enjoyed their interaction and how Ro was such an asshole to pretty much anyone but Cal and his family. I also enjoyed the mystery part of the story. I also enjoyed the start of each chapter with a song and how it relates to each chapter.

I did have some issues with the story:
- there was a lot going on and the story felt a bit long
- Ro has loved Cal since they were young. Kind of sick with the 5 year difference
- how on earth is a 26 year a multi rated Michelin chef and a billionaire

The story is told in both Cal & Ro's POV and Lila Winters and Teddy Hamilton did a great job with both characters.

Thank you @dreamscape_media for a copy of the audiobook.

I finally read my first L.J Shen book, and while it was on the longer side, the story itself was unputdownable.

Short synopsis: After the passing of her father, Cal returns back to her small Maine hometown for a few weeks. She needs a temporary job, and reluctantly turns to millionaire chef/ childhood crush/ ex best friend’s brother, Row, for a job in his kitchen. Back in close quarters for the first time in years, the two try to fight the attraction they always had for each other while Cal simultaneously rekindles her friendship with her best friend.

I always love a romance where the hero falls fast and hard, and seeing Row bend over back for Cal melted my heart. While he was a pure asshole to everyone else in the town, he was kind and sweet to her. The mix between the push and pull banter and raw humor made their chemistry shine. I am so excited for the rest of the series after absolutely loving the secondary characters and needing to see more Row and Cal in the future. While I primarily read this one, I listened to some chapters and Teddy Hamilton and Lila Winters took on the roles of Row and Cal perfectly.

Read if you like:
-Billionaire chef
-Best friend’s brother
-Grumpy hero/ sunshine heroine
-He’s her new boss
-It’s always been you
-He falls hard
-Small town Maine setting