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This was a stressful read. I almost hate quit several times
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
emotional
hopeful
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
Growing up Cal was always awkward and quirky and Roe was her best friend’s older brother. He was popular and gorgeous and always there for Cal. Now that they are adults he is a world famous Michelin Star chef, known for his bad boy attitude and even better looks. When they bump back into each other and get reacquainted it seems there was a lot that Cal did not know about Roe and their childhood. This book had my heart breaking and swooning and was so steamy and full of love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Cal returns to her home town for the funeral of her beloved dad. She wants to stick around to spend time with her mother and to reconcile with her former best friend Dylan.
Enter Row, her best friend’s brother and reason for their row. He also runs a high end restaurant and is the only place to work at for Cal, while wanting to sell off his part of town and leave.
While working together, Cal and Row bicker and fight, have to face their past and their feelings for each other. They also have to overcome outside obstacles and inner blocks.
I loved the story. I loved how raw and broken both main characters are and how brave they turn out to be. Even though I am luckily not as traumatized as they are, I could absolutely relate and enjoyed following their story. I got really invested and excited. Another masterpiece of LJ Shen.
Enter Row, her best friend’s brother and reason for their row. He also runs a high end restaurant and is the only place to work at for Cal, while wanting to sell off his part of town and leave.
While working together, Cal and Row bicker and fight, have to face their past and their feelings for each other. They also have to overcome outside obstacles and inner blocks.
I loved the story. I loved how raw and broken both main characters are and how brave they turn out to be. Even though I am luckily not as traumatized as they are, I could absolutely relate and enjoyed following their story. I got really invested and excited. Another masterpiece of LJ Shen.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Violence
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Teddy Hamilton could read me the dictionary and I’d be enthralled - add in the fact that it was a grumpy sunshine CHEF romance!? Love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Pregnancy
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm swooning over Row Casablancas!
The way he thinks, looks, speaks, and his choice in friends!
Even if he weren't all that, I absolutely adore Calla! I FELT so much from her backstory and related with her quirky personality. Shen gave us the wit, banter, and steam, but hands down, my favorite part of Truly Madly Deeply are the characters' personalities.
I'm confident that this is now my favorite L.J. Shen book, and I am so happy to have a copy. I'll be re-reading this one!
The way he thinks, looks, speaks, and his choice in friends!
Even if he weren't all that, I absolutely adore Calla! I FELT so much from her backstory and related with her quirky personality. Shen gave us the wit, banter, and steam, but hands down, my favorite part of Truly Madly Deeply are the characters' personalities.
I'm confident that this is now my favorite L.J. Shen book, and I am so happy to have a copy. I'll be re-reading this one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Acephobia/Arophobia
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Violence
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
FMC: Calla “Cal” “Dot”
MMC: Ambrose “Row”
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, best friend’s brother, forced proximity, second chance, boss/employee
Spice Rating: 3
Series: Yes - Interconnected Standalone (Book 1 of the Forbidden Love series)
POV: Dual
Cliffhanger: No
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotions because Cal and Row’s story is heart-pounding, heartbreaking, funny, agonizing, and spicy.
Honestly, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be frustrated with these two and their obvious lack of communication, misunderstandings, and inability to fully express their feelings for each other.
The book was an excellent mix of grumpy/sunshine and enemies to lovers. Seriously, Row is an alpha a**hole. It should be a red flag but honestly, I don’t care! Red flags don’t count when it comes to books. I should know, I love grumpy jerk book boyfriends.
There were some darker themes thrown in as well in the form of past trauma which included bullying and abuse. All of which are detailed as the story of these two unravels. There are even some recent acts of violence and threats depicted towards Row because of a business decision he’s making which impacts the town.
There were a few minor details that I noticed while reading which prompted me to have some lingering questions but nothing that overshadowed my enjoyment of this book. I think they were more my curiosity than anything.
I definitely recommend! Oh, and l also recommend listening to the playlist.
*This is a special thank you to L.J. Shen and company for providing me with the opportunity to receive and review an ARC of this book.*
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, Death of parent
Past bullying from peers and physical abuse from alcoholic parent shared on page.