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allyreadsromance's review
5.0
This is unlike any LJ Shen book I've read before! These two characters have longed and hated each other for over eight years. They sealed their fates at 18 in a grand romantic gesture and thought they would never see each other again. A lot of suspense and half-truths fill these two people's lives. Only the truth will set them free!
If any type or concept of cheating bothers you, then skip this read. It's emotional, sexy, infuriating, loving, and beautiful! I loved it!!
This one has restored my faith in LJ after Broken Knight...which I just could not do!
If any type or concept of cheating bothers you, then skip this read. It's emotional, sexy, infuriating, loving, and beautiful! I loved it!!
This one has restored my faith in LJ after Broken Knight...which I just could not do!
jenjenbookfan's review
5.0
Loved it!!
This was the first book by this author I've read. I had no idea what to expect. So many emotions, twists, POVs of inanimate objects
This was the first book by this author I've read. I had no idea what to expect. So many emotions, twists, POVs of inanimate objects
cala_p's review against another edition
4.0
When I first read The Kiss Thief, I went crazy and bought a bunch of LJ Shen paperbacks, without knowing if I would enjoy them. So going into this one I had a lot of high hopes that were ultimately met.
In the Unlikely Event tells the story in the present and past, through both Rory and Mal’s perspectives. Most of the book takes place in the present. In the past, they met and after a whirlwind time with one another, they promised to get married if they ever met again, no matter what, or who, was in their lives at the time. Jump forward 8 years, and there Mal is again, in front of her. Only at first he wants revenge for some unknown reason and she is happily dating and wants nothing more to do with them. The more time they spend with one another, the more their pasts and present breaks down. Mal is hiding something and Rory pretends she is truly happy.
There’s an underlying mystery surrounding Rory with this book, something that only she doesn’t know. Top that with Mal’s secret and how everything else seems to happen for a reason. What I liked most about this book was how important every character was. No one was inconsequential, and in the end, everyone was given a voice. Her little “Notes from...:” was often funny, but also super interesting. Like I said, random girl with Mal...She gets her time to talk and explain her story. So with everyone’s mini stories, it builds to be a great book with lots of background from each character.
The sex is hot. The romance is cute. Exactly what you’d expect from this book. A little bit of angst and a whole lot of humor. In the end, this is a great feel-good book for when you want an actual story with it as well.
In the Unlikely Event tells the story in the present and past, through both Rory and Mal’s perspectives. Most of the book takes place in the present. In the past, they met and after a whirlwind time with one another, they promised to get married if they ever met again, no matter what, or who, was in their lives at the time. Jump forward 8 years, and there Mal is again, in front of her. Only at first he wants revenge for some unknown reason and she is happily dating and wants nothing more to do with them. The more time they spend with one another, the more their pasts and present breaks down. Mal is hiding something and Rory pretends she is truly happy.
There’s an underlying mystery surrounding Rory with this book, something that only she doesn’t know. Top that with Mal’s secret and how everything else seems to happen for a reason. What I liked most about this book was how important every character was. No one was inconsequential, and in the end, everyone was given a voice. Her little “Notes from...:” was often funny, but also super interesting. Like I said, random girl with Mal...She gets her time to talk and explain her story. So with everyone’s mini stories, it builds to be a great book with lots of background from each character.
The sex is hot. The romance is cute. Exactly what you’d expect from this book. A little bit of angst and a whole lot of humor. In the end, this is a great feel-good book for when you want an actual story with it as well.
nadine_booklover's review
3.0
Malachy is tailor-made for a huge, colossal heartbreak.
I'm struggling writing my review. Because this book split my heart and soul in half. I really loved and enjoyed the first part of the book. It was heaven. But the story took some twists and turns I'm not OK with. And that makes it hard to rate and review it.
There are many things that feel wrong to me, yet I still enjoyed reading this book much more than I probably should have.
This guy can move me without touching me, and touch me without laying a finger on me.
In The Unlikely Event is something different to LJ Shen's other books. It has a unique approach on how to spin off the first encounter, the first fast falling. It was promising, taunting and captivating until it wasn't. It held so much potential and I came out a little disappointed at the end.
Nevertheless, LJ Shen again shows off her skill in writing enemies to lovers/second chance romance. Even after what feels like the millionste book of this trope, she's still able to captivate the reader.
It's not fate; it's us. From start to finish. Twisted, screwed, obsessed, destructive, wonderful us.
I'm struggling writing my review. Because this book split my heart and soul in half. I really loved and enjoyed the first part of the book. It was heaven. But the story took some twists and turns I'm not OK with. And that makes it hard to rate and review it.
There are many things that feel wrong to me, yet I still enjoyed reading this book much more than I probably should have.
This guy can move me without touching me, and touch me without laying a finger on me.
In The Unlikely Event is something different to LJ Shen's other books. It has a unique approach on how to spin off the first encounter, the first fast falling. It was promising, taunting and captivating until it wasn't. It held so much potential and I came out a little disappointed at the end.
Nevertheless, LJ Shen again shows off her skill in writing enemies to lovers/second chance romance. Even after what feels like the millionste book of this trope, she's still able to captivate the reader.
It's not fate; it's us. From start to finish. Twisted, screwed, obsessed, destructive, wonderful us.
vlccjdv's review
5.0
Beautiful!
I don’t know what words to use to explain this story. Map and Rory have the most amazing, twisted, and beautiful fairytale. If you’re on the fence about reading this book, let me tell you, take the plunge!!
I don’t know what words to use to explain this story. Map and Rory have the most amazing, twisted, and beautiful fairytale. If you’re on the fence about reading this book, let me tell you, take the plunge!!
kendallkels14's review
5.0
THIS BOOK. This book right here got me so up in my feels. To me, this book was so different from anything I've read from LJ Shen! Sooooo good. She switched things up. She wrote a book that made me so emotional. I fell in love with Mal so quick. Like, from the get go. And that's saying something cause I thought Trent would be my guy forever but Mal stole that top spot! So charismatic. So flirty. So fun. Rory is great! I love the chemistry she had with Mal from the moment she met him. Fate has a funny way of doing things sometimes, I truly believe that and they knew it too. Like, how can you know in 24 hours if someone is the love of your life? Fate knows sometimes, even when we don't. This book had me hating some people and rooting for others and then BAM! I was rooting for those people I kinda hated and hating the people I had been rooting for. Isn't that crazy?! Not really cause that's LJ for you. The fact that she has points of view from Mal, Rory, a cow, a chocolate bar, a napkin, family, and friends made this such a cool book. I love being able to hear from other characters in a story and this was a fun and neat way of doing that. I mean seriously, we heard from a FREAKING CHOCOLATE BAR. Does it get any weirder than that? But it's the best kind of weird. Leigh is a word wizard and she went way over the bar with this book. She said this book was her dancing in the rain. If that's true, then I always wanna dance in the rain with her. She's so good at forming her characters and I truly did love this book, no matter how different it was. Mal and Rory knocked it out of the park for me. I fell in love with both of them. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone!
kaydanielsromance's review
5.0
In The Unlikely Event is brilliantly written! LJ Shen has had a stellar year with her dark, angsty romances. In The Unlikely Event is still Shen page-turning magic, but a little lighter with a well crafted, gripping story folded in the pages.
In the unlikely event that two people actually meet one another again they have promised each other that they will drop everything and be together. This means whomever they are seeing, jobs, raise each others children, etc...
In the unlikely event that they actually see one another, without trying to reach out and stay in touch. That means no social media contact, no letter writing, no phone calls, no nothing, nada, zip. Just divine intervention, karma, destiny.
In the unlikely event that this crazy pact actually works, would one of them actually go through with it? Would you?
Oceans apart, years build up, the thought of actually seeing each other becomes less likely. They each eventually lead very different lives, but fate does eventually set events in motion and the unlikely becomes likely. Will Rory and Mal agree to the pact they made years ago or has too much come between them to mend the obvious broken rift.
In The Unlikely Event has everything you could want in a story. It's filled with every emotion that will keep you turning pages long into the night. This is a book that you need on your MUST read list for 2019!!
In the unlikely event that two people actually meet one another again they have promised each other that they will drop everything and be together. This means whomever they are seeing, jobs, raise each others children, etc...
In the unlikely event that they actually see one another, without trying to reach out and stay in touch. That means no social media contact, no letter writing, no phone calls, no nothing, nada, zip. Just divine intervention, karma, destiny.
In the unlikely event that this crazy pact actually works, would one of them actually go through with it? Would you?
Oceans apart, years build up, the thought of actually seeing each other becomes less likely. They each eventually lead very different lives, but fate does eventually set events in motion and the unlikely becomes likely. Will Rory and Mal agree to the pact they made years ago or has too much come between them to mend the obvious broken rift.
In The Unlikely Event has everything you could want in a story. It's filled with every emotion that will keep you turning pages long into the night. This is a book that you need on your MUST read list for 2019!!
annica_reads_books's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was so incredibly messy and angsty, and if I had read the trope list before diving in, I might have run for the hills. So, someone please explain to me why I absolutely devoured this book and couldn’t put it down until it was finished! The characters are layered, morally complex, and I sometimes wanted to strangle them. This story was a disastrous whirlwind for our two star-crossed lovers with a second chance at love, and I devoured every minute of it. Oh and those little extra POV’s from the side characters? Absolutely loved ‘em.
lesy's review
5.0
Leigh strikes again
That was something different from Leigh and I loved it anyway. The storytelling was interesting with some surprising and unexpecting povs. The plot is intriguing and captivating, I couldn’t put it down!
There were some things that I wanted more in-depth probably. Like rape that was never brought up and felt with and if I’m not mistaken he referred to it as rape only in his head, not in conversation. And I wanted some kind of justice for it maybe? And naming a child after the woman who raped you is just weird in my opinion.
Overall I enjoyed the story!
That was something different from Leigh and I loved it anyway. The storytelling was interesting with some surprising and unexpecting povs. The plot is intriguing and captivating, I couldn’t put it down!
There were some things that I wanted more in-depth probably. Like rape that was never brought up and felt with and if I’m not mistaken he referred to it as rape only in his head, not in conversation. And I wanted some kind of justice for it maybe? And naming a child after the woman who raped you is just weird in my opinion.
Overall I enjoyed the story!
pixiepages's review
5.0
This book just sucked me in and I was consumed by it. It was definitely an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. Mal snuck his way into Rory's life like a boomerang and forever ruined her life. A one night stand in Ireland and a promise written on a napkin forever bounding them to each other. What could possibly go wrong? Did I mention there were some hot spicy scenes in here and his accent is to die for!!!