Reviews

Bane by L.J. Shen

beckyrendon's review against another edition

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4.0

Bane, Bane, Bane! Or should I say Roman?!

You are a sight for sore eyes. You are the dirty nasty thoughts running through peoples heads. The sexed up epitome of every filthy dream they have...regardless of gender. You are the dirty little "not so secret" of Todos Santos. But you are even more than the rumors, the truths, and the lies, you are an awakening.

She wasn't living. She wasn't doing much of anything. You forced her to live in the light. You made her open her eyes. You gave her the opportunity to breathe fresh air. You are more than everyone else thinks you are. So tell me Bane, what are you going to do to get the girl?

Not really a spoiler- HE does what needs to be done. He does it his way. And you will not be disappointed. Watch out for curve balls though because I got beaned and couldn't stop giggling.

Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood

rcrg's review against another edition

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5.0

Survivor

“In this story the princess saves herself”. Wow, this is such a true statement! My heart broke when reading about the horrible things that happened to Jesse. My heart also broke when reading about the way Bane viewed himself. I was beyond ecstatic when these two wounded people found their way through their pain and into each other. This is a story of survival and love. LJ Shen topped her writing game with this book. It is very hard to write a series (even though you can read these as standalones-they are richer read in order) and have the 5th book be even better than the 1st book. It was magic watching Bane find himself as he helped Jesse come back to life. My favorite line in a fabulous book was “What is the antonym of hate? ..... Jesse.” I highly recommend this book! Loved it.

ninareads05's review against another edition

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5.0

I’m starting to think everything L.J Shen creates is amazing.
No doubt, I have LOVED all her Sinners books.
This one was no different. It was beautiful.
Definitely more raw, heart breaking and painful to read, but nonetheless a great read.

If you are looking for a light, fluffy read- this is not for you.

This will rip your soul but somehow give you strength and hope. It had tough scenes, but was still filled with endless humor.

5 beautiful snowflake stars.

allaboutthatromance's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is full of SO many plot twists and unexpected turns! It definitely kept me on the edge of the seat the entire time I listened to it. This book was a lot to take in, I was on the fence at first about investing time into it because he wasn’t one of the hotholes but it was totally worth it! Bane is a firecracker. He’s so unapologetic about who he is and does WHATEVER necessary to get what he wants out of life. Jesse absolutely breaks my heart. So many times, throughout the story I wanted to just wrap my arms around her and hold her close. I was so in awe of how she handled everything life threw at her and just how strong she is. She is truly an inspiration for all that she overcame. Their love story is in no way shape or form typical, but I am so happy that they found each other. They awakened different parts of each other and helped each other heal separately but also together. This was such a good read about overcoming, finding love, finding peace but ultimately healing and of course some steamy sex scenes… what happens at the coffee shop stays at the coffee shop (winky emoji)

caseroo7's review against another edition

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4.0

Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick

I will admit that I wasn’t sure about Bane going into this book, but I should have known that LJ Shen would make me fall for him. Bane is a standalone story, but if you have read the Sinners of Saint series, you will recognize familiar faces here. It isn’t necessary to read those books, but I highly recommend it as they are great and will help you understand Bane a bit more as well as this amazing world that LJ Shen has created.

I really don’t want to get into much of the story details here so as not to spoil anything. This is Bane and Jessie’s Story. Bane is a pothead and surfer that has made a habit of sleeping with anyone necessary to get what he wants. So when a deal requires him to befriend the loner Jessie, he views it as nothing more than a transaction. But Jessie has her reasons for not letting anyone in, and the more Bane spends time with her, the more he realizes that he can’t just be friends with her.

I have to say that this book will definitely have some triggers for some, and that if you have any this might not be the book for you. It was tough to read parts of it without having any myself, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine going through what Jessie had gone through and being as okay as she was. Bane was absolutely perfect for her, and I loved him with her. He might have started off there for the wrong reasons, but it quickly became more than that. He was patient and kind, while also helping her out of the comfort zone that she had put herself in. They had a genuine and undeniable connection and the chemistry between them was easy to see right from the start.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think that readers are going to love it just like I did. These two each had so much that they were trying to overcome, and with each other it was as it was always meant to be. They went through everything that they each did to get to where they were, and I couldn’t have imagined anyone more perfect for the the other. Bane and Jessie’s story is one that I couldn’t put down and I cannot wait for more from LJ Shen.

**ARC Provided by Social Butterfly PR**

yaniaa3's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5
jesse being a queen saved the whole book.
still can't give it 4 stars, the plot twist was a little obvious for me and i couldn't stand the misogynistic parts.

readfrenzy's review against another edition

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5.0

Audiobook Review

Once again L.J. Shen has made me fall in love with an anti-hero. Yes, Bane is a liar, a con, a thief, a bully, and a whore. Guess what? I fell for him anyway.

Jesse is wounded and extremely frail—easy prey for a heartless opportunist like Bane. There are absolutely gut wrenching moments throughout as well as tenderness. Bane helps Jesse discover her confidence and strength, while Bane taps into his more sensitive side as a result of Jesse’s influence.

The intricate plot is well paced and absolutely addictive! You should anticipate some truly despicable characters. However, compassionate characters are inserted at the right moments to give the heavy subject matter balance.

Christian Rummel is the perfect Bane, with his deep baritone voice and an “I don’t give a crap” delivery. Savannah Peachwood’s Jesse embodies a vulnerability that convincingly morphs into strength. Both narrators make the characters more vivid. Bravo on the casting!

Recommended for fans of:
Surfers
Alphaholes
Dark romance
SmoothiesReading Frenzy Book Blog

cierra_mccauley_cierrascorner's review against another edition

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5.0

Holy Hell!! Bane was so Damn Good!!! Ahh!! I loved it!! This story was a complete surprise!! Bane was EVERYTHING!!! I’m still screaming happily!! This was a heartbreaking, heartwarming story with unexpected twists and white hot passion!! In true Leigh fashion she will completely consume you and leave you imprinted with the lives of her characters. Bane and Jess’s story was an emotional one, one that hits you hard in the feels. I loved everything about Bane, he was a world class Ahole/Manwhore. Everyone knows it, no one messes with him, he’s unforgiving and Arrogant. The dirty/bad book boyfriend you crave! Jesse was sweet and spicy. I loved their friendship, and how each one wanted more. Neither one was prepared for the other! Hell I wasn’t prepared for this story! It’s easily without a doubt a new favorite! Read it! If you haven’t read the series read the whole series! You will fall to pieces and in love with Bane! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

araxim's review against another edition

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3.0

really good non-romance drama and plot twist

lauren_soderberg's review against another edition

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3.0

Fans of LJ Shen will love this novel. It will stay with you and crawl inside your bones as you process everything that happens in the narrative. Bane is the epitome of a damaged hero, and Jesse is the epitome of resilience and strength. Their chemistry is off the charts HOT. However, I think this should have all of the trigger warnings possible, because there are a lot of things that happen in the book that are not "safe." So skip this if depictions of
Spoiler sexual violence, extreme parental neglect and complicity, and pedophilia
will trigger and/or bother you.