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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Your girl LOVES a second chance romance. Combine that with a shitty family, daddy issues, sexual tension thick enough to need a knife - and you've got a faaaaaaabulous read. Ruthless Rival was such a quick read for me because I couldn't put it down. I loved the courtroom setting, bookish themes, and the chemistry between the FMC and MMC. L.J. Shen, the more I read your work, the more of them I add to my TBR. I'll be reading the second book soooooooon.
I was fully invested and loving it. The angst, the past and present mixing together (which doesn't usually work for me since I had It Ends With Us war flashbacks), and how the love to hate to love was just working. But halfway through things started getting messy and sizzling down until the last chapters that I ended up skipping altogether. The potential was there but in the end it was just too boring, messy, convoluted and unnecessary.
A great quick addictive read. Childhood first loves turned to enemies to lovers. Christian (who used to go by Nicky as a child) is now a top dog lawyer but was once the poor nanny's son who got sent away after getting caught kissing Arya. and Arya the billionaire's daughter who is now her own boss lady and is trying to help her dad get through a huge sexual assault lawsuit. I'm shocked she didn't know it was him sooner. His feelings were all over the place but understandable. Hes the lawyer going against her father. Her father pissed me off, his mom made me mad too how she could just abandon him. Enjoyed his group of friends.
This is one of the best friends-to-enemies-to-lovers books that I've ever read. L.J. Shen does not disappoint. The romance is addictive; the tension gripping and the banter unparalleled.
Arya and Christian are written perfectly, and you can understand the reasons behind every decision, even when you're mentally screaming at them to do the opposite. This book deals perfectly with ideas of grief, justice, and finding who you are. It shows that blood does not make a family and things are not always what they seem.
Arya is the confident, perfect and rich 'Daddy's Girl' whose entire life is turned upside down when she meets broody, powerful, handsome Christian. Their souls are intertwined, and despite everything, they can't stop their growing feelings. A legal case, a book obsession, expensive dinners, and family issues are only the beginning of this spicy romance.
I could not put this book down and I can't wait for more in the Cruel Castaway world. L.J. Shen has only cemented her position as one of my favourite authors. I can only say that you need to read this book.
Thank you to NetGallery and Montlake for this ARC in return for an honest review.
Arya and Christian are written perfectly, and you can understand the reasons behind every decision, even when you're mentally screaming at them to do the opposite. This book deals perfectly with ideas of grief, justice, and finding who you are. It shows that blood does not make a family and things are not always what they seem.
Arya is the confident, perfect and rich 'Daddy's Girl' whose entire life is turned upside down when she meets broody, powerful, handsome Christian. Their souls are intertwined, and despite everything, they can't stop their growing feelings. A legal case, a book obsession, expensive dinners, and family issues are only the beginning of this spicy romance.
I could not put this book down and I can't wait for more in the Cruel Castaway world. L.J. Shen has only cemented her position as one of my favourite authors. I can only say that you need to read this book.
Thank you to NetGallery and Montlake for this ARC in return for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this. The glow up and revenge plot gave me Count of Monte Cristo retelling vibes. The sassy, independent female MC, the lawyering and second chance romance are all things I love and this book delivered. Also Christian and Arya in the present day are in their early 30s with flourishing careers and acted like it, which I certainly appreciated.
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Nobody does enemies to lovers better than LJ Shen.
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
MMC was a deceitful little bitch - did not like him.
Great book. I liked that unlike her other series this hero was not a jerk to start out.
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Classism
I would give this book a 3.5/5 stars. I’m a little over romance books after reading so many this week, but I just feel like they are all the same atp. It was pretty good, I just wish the female main character was less dense like clearly it was your fathers pi so maybe he lied like be fr. Also she said he had the best and most recognizable eyes and then didn’t even recognize him especially when they had slept together. Then the male main character should have told her a lot sooner, bc it made no sense to keep it from her, when she is obviously only going to be more hurt the more time passes.