Arsène is not interested in love. His love life is just another business transaction.
Until his fiancée dies in a plane crash. The accident connects him to Winnie, an aspiring actress. Together, they will find out the truth and lies in both their lives.
I liked this book a lot. And it was a surprise. When I started reading it, I didn't like Arsène that much. He's cold, arrogant and pompous. And little by little I just understood him.
Beautiful book, beautiful characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

This is my first book by L.J. Shen and I was neither overly impressed nor disappointed. It was an entertaining read as long as you don’t look too deeply into it; it helped pass the time.

The characters and their personalities are entirely predictable, as is the storyline. But as previously stated, it was interesting enough to finish. The conversation between to FMC and MC in her hometown that was supposed to be the climax was a little bit abrupt and seemed forced making the ending not as good as I think it could have been.

Initially, I was excited to pick up an ARC of L.J. Shen's book, as I had heard great things about her writing. However, in the first third of the novel, I was disappointed with the male main character (MMC), who appeared to lack any emotional depth. His most prominent trait was an unhealthy obsession with his ex-step sister and former lover. This relationship spirals into a boring cycle of hate.

The novel follows Arsene and Winnie's investigation into their partners' infidelity and subsequent deaths. However, the timeline of their love story is unclear, leaving me feeling disconnected from their relationship.

I found it confusing when Winnie discovers a USB drive in her late husband's safe, containing pictures of Arsene as a baby with his mother. How could she have known who they were, given that she never met Arsene's mother and never saw him as a baby? The reason why her husband had the USB drive is never explained.

As the story progresses, Arsène meets Winnie, who is portrayed as a likable character but, at times, can be overwhelming. It bothered me that Arsène would switch from being an emotionless robot to a suddenly romantic, poetry-reciting man.

Furthermore, most of Winnie's character development takes place because of Arsène, which perpetuates the damaging trope that a woman needs a man to heal her soul.

Despite these flaws, the book was an easy read and intriguing. Every character had a background story or multiple aspects to their personality, making them engaging and interesting. However, Arsene's character falls into the stereotype of a wealthy main character who struggles to love due to his difficult upbringing.

As usual I was super excited when I was able to request a new book by LJ on Netgalley, I started immediately and I really, really, really loved the beginning. It was the typical Shen style, the asshole hero you really wanna slap constantly and with Winni a likable female.

I don't know what to think about this book. On one side there's all the stuff I like in LJs books but on the other side.....

There was also the HUGE toxic crap with the ex partners, what took such a loooooooong part in the book, the love story between Arséne and Winni was very rushed and I couldn't really feel it.

Maybe I´ll do a reread at some point but right now I have to say, it wasn't my favorite book by LJ, but I´m excited for the next one in the Cruel Castaways universe.

Thank you to LJ Shen and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 2/5

While I was definitely intrigued to see where the story would go, I overall wasn’t really a fan. The MC is not a nice person, so it’s hard to root for them. Had trouble relating and staying interested.

As a disclaimer: I was given this book as an ARC to read with the expectation of an unbiased review, which I am giving voluntarily.

I despised Arsene at first. Him and his stepsisters romantic relationship was weird af. I’ve found a trope I do not enjoy. However, while the story does start with them, they are not the main dish. Arsene and Winnie are and boy, do they live up to it. The banter back and forth between them is chef’s kiss. Winnie is this sweet girl that just wants to be taken seriously, while Arsene is a rich b*stard that takes absolutely nothing seriously. He’s even only dating his stepsister to show his “parents” that he can (they were also awful, but meh.)

I wouldn’t say enemies to lovers, but close. Their relationship is definitely worth the read.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars

These days, I guess I have no luck with her work. I used to like her books so much. But not with this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Slow burn romance between two opposites. This was a quick read for me took a little while to get into but once it did went pretty fast. I didn't particularly like the MMC and found his personality a little too over the top. I did enjoy the FMC and could connect with her. This is a standalone but part of a series which I didn't realize until I was already reading it. I may have enjoyed it more if I'd read the previous novel. 3 stars from me. I want to thank NetGalley and Montlake for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

At first I didn't care for what I was reading, but this book redeems itself. I didn't like Arsène Corbin from the jump, but throughout the book I started to understand him a bit more. I can't relate to characters that had a bad childhood and that's where my disconnect with this book was, but again I kept reading and meeting Winnifred Ashcroft is what saves this book for me. She's sweet, kind and can help even the worst cynical character I've ever run across. And Arsène quickly becomes a likeable guy and their story becomes one of love! I've met a lot of hard to love characters being an avid reader, but very few can make a complete 180 the way Arsène did and I think that goes a long way to speak of the writers ability!

I love this author so much everything she writes is a must read and this was everything I expected and more I absolutely loved it

ARSEEEEEEEENE!! You wreck me! Man, what a great story! After Christians book, I knew Arsène would be an interesting cookie, and LJ Shen did not disappoint. I don’t want to ruin the book too much, but man, so man twists and turns. This book is not as dark as I usually see from Shen, but it definitely brings the surprises around every corner. I loved it! I cannot wait to read Riggs book!!

*enemies to lovers*
*he falls first*
*opposites attract*
*billionaire romance*

3 ½ Stars for the billionaire and the bumpkin

Although the premise of this book is good, it just kinda fell flat for me. I found that the relationship between Arsène and Winnie develops out of no where when they were both still so in love with their signaticant others. Arsène is such a grump and I just don't get why he was so enamoured with his fiance, even after he found out about the cheating. I really liked Winnie even though she was very nieve ... like the bumpkin that Arsène called her.

Arsène's fiance and Winnie's husband work together and they are killed in a plane crash. After their death, Arsène and Winnie find out that they were having an affair. Both Arsène and Winnie are having trouble moving on and believing the worst about their signaficant others. So they decide to get together to compare what each other knows.

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake through NetGalley.

This an enemies to lovers romance btw 2 opposite people that have met each other at hard times in their lives and their tragedy is what brought them together.

Arsène Corbin had a tough and complex childhood which turned to him to the man he is tdy ruthless and angry.
Winnifred Ashcroft on the other hand, is sweet, vunlerable, and a passionate actress.

I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately didn't like it so much so I was skipping through it most of the time just to get the end , however you might enjoy it so make sure to check it out

Thank you to the publisher and @Netgalley for granting me an ARC of #FallenFoe in exchange for my honest review.

Xoxo💋

This read is the final nail in the coffin for me regarding this author. I felt conflicted about reading it in the first place, because I have been made aware of allegations that have made me uncomfortable with supporting this author. However, I went into reading this book with an open mind, in hopes that somehow the writing would show improvement or there would be some sort of indication of growth or understanding from Shen’s previous work.

Unfortunately, I did not find any of that in Fallen Foe. (Though, at least it is not a complete, uncredited remake of someone else’s novel, like The Kiss Thief was of Judith McNaught’s Whitney, My Love.)

The ways in which grown men reference teen pop culture and speak like they’re in the cast of Mean Girls feels so disparate with the characters that Shen is trying to portray. It immediately takes you out of the narrative and leaves you wondering what Shen is actually trying to achieve here.

There’s so much trauma and never any healthy ways of coping with said trauma. It felt like I was reading about entitled teenagers playing at being grown, even in the chapters that were written from their adult perspectives. There was also way too much time spent on flashbacks and the toxicity of the hero’s relationship with his “first love” that detracted from the flow of the plot.

I was not rooting for any of these characters, and would have DNFed had I not been given an ARC. In my humble opinion, there are other authors out there who address similar themes in much more narratively satisfying and mature ways. And this book has convinced me that I have no desire to read any more of Shen’s work moving forward.

Thanks for Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is the 2nd book of Cruel Castaways series, it can be read as stand alone. ...Stepsisters..?? Yuck! Arsene and Grace relation ship irk me, really toxic but cant get over each other alway repeating the same cycle, well death stop it.

I laugh when Arsene and Winnie bickering, attacking each other, bringing bad side from each other, beginning of attraction start there. The cheat, grief, lost make them meet again glue them. I like how their relationahip build, th declare of love using Astronomy trivia hit different.

“I am Mars, and there might be life on it. There could be. Thanks to you. I burn for you, Winnifred. And I’m tired of living in the cold. Come back to New York. Make the place livable. For both of us. Please..”

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#FallenFoe #CruelCastaways #LJShen #Montlake #NetGalley #ARCs

I absolutely adore L.J. Shen's stories! Arsene and Winnie were so engaging! The spirited banter, chemistry and connection just flew off the pages!

I had been waiting for the second installment in the Cruel Castaways series and could not jump on this story fast enough!  Arsene legit is the billionaire Alphahole we love to hate and boy did he earn that title. He truly earned that title and then some with his dealing s with Winnie.

Overall, Winnie was a doll and was the angel to Arsene's devil LOL. I truly enjoyed this story and now can't wait for more! 5 stars! ~Ratula ♥️

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

The turn of events that brought these two together was eventful. I would have liked for them to work more closely together in finding what they were looking for, prolong it a bite.

Loved that they were connected by the theatre.

Always enjoy L J Shen

I really liked the story between Arséne and Winnie, and I hate that their exes (Grace and Paul) were such a lead up to Arséne and Winnie being together. It sucked that Grace was such a vile irredeemable woman. I kept waiting for a note of apology to turn or acknowledgement of nastiness, more for my benefit as the reader than Arséne's.

Winnie's growth from Paul and understanding that her hometown wasn't the solution she thought it was made me heavily relate to her. I hurt for her struggle with Paul's infidelity and I'm glad she got her health figured out and decided to go after Arséne.

I did want justice for Patrice and more acknowledgment of how Miranda, Grace and Arséne's father wronged her. Why did Grace have the USB drive of videos? Did Miranda steal them and give them to Grace, did Arsene's father give them to her or did she find them and keep them? It made no sense, but I am glad that watching the videos helped to bring back Arséne's memories of his mother, before her death. This was such a good thread that just wasn't explained enough to my satisfaction. #JusticeForPatrice

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC. All views expressed are my own.

4/5 ⭐️

Let’s be clear— I absolutely hated Grace with a passion.

Now that we got that out of the way.. ugh, good ole asshole Arsène. I know so many people are over that whole jerk, billionaire thing. But, after knowing about our troubled H’s traumatic past, I had a soft spot for him. Winnie frustrated me. It definitely took her way too long to move on from the dead cheating husband. And I ONLY say that because the dude was literal scum. But she was a fireball and really grew into herself and her potential. After reading Ruthless Rivals, I was missing this world and these characters. It was great to move onto Arsènes story and I can’t wait to read Riggs’ next!

Thank you to Montlake Publishing, author LJ Shen and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

SO I jumped right into this after Ruthless Rival because I was already excited about Arsene's book.

I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I closely compare this one to TERMS AND CONDITIONS by Lauren Asher because I didn't particularly like the leading man in both of them, but I still enjoyed the book and the relationship. Arsene is the WORST without Winnie but with her, he is absolutely, mind-numbly adorable 85% of the time.

WINNIE absolutely carried both the book and Arsene on her back. Love that for her. Her and Arsene are p.e.r.f.e.c.t.