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alabooktique 's review for:
Ruthless Rival
by L.J. Shen
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Okay, basically? I looooove.
I just read a really good romance book, right before this one. And I swear it was much better written. The dialogues and the monologues were so damn witty. I was IN AWE reading that book. The MCs we're both really nice people. Totally gave Mr Darcy and a much more vibrant Ms Elizabeth vibes. Buuuuuut, it took me 9 days to finish that book.
Whereas this book in here. Sure it had amusing characters.. the MCs we're morally a teensy bit grey, definitely far from being good/innocent. A plot that's been in existence since the day Wattpad was invented. BUT, it took me only a single day to finish this book. And if I hadn't had to go to work, this would've been done in a single sitting. Bcoz this is what L J Shen does. She knows how to keep her audience hooked and invested.
I was in looooooove with the flow of the story. The past and the present, tbh I did see a bit of character development in Arya as well as Christian but I also kept getting glimpses of their past selves in their present and tbh I did actually like it. I was really rooting for Arya and the Old Christian. As far as L J Shen's MMCs go, Christian I'd say was quite a pookie. He's not at all the big bad villain that the premise tried to sell. Everything he did was actually quite ethical and tbh he also didn't go out of his way to get his revenge plot. And even when he hated Arya he still never went on and did anything that was absolutely scandalous and unfair to Arya, and that I love. And that is also why, when the time came I didn't even really need to forgive Christian.
I just was rooting for 14 yr old Arya and the 14 yr old Nicholai (younger Christian) to get their HEA coz honestly they were every teenagers dream couple. I do think that Arya was comparatively, bring a tad bit stupid when her dad tote Christian apart from her. Girl could've used a bit more of her brain, but then again she was also quite young and had her own set of insecurities to deal with so it wasn't hard looking past that.
All in all, if you're looking to be entertained...here's the book.
I also can't wait to read abt the other 2 castaways. Maybe Riggs would end up with Jillian and Arsène is obvs gonna go for his step sis. Yum yum stuff ahead. I ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY loved how Arsène and Riggs were ALWAYS there for Christian.
<blockquote><u>Thought Process</u></blockquote>
@2% This is why I can never give up in L.J.Shen... I don't ever have to wait for the story to start <i>story-ing</i>. She pulls u right in with her writing, from the get go.
<blockquote><u>Quotes and Thoughts</u></blockquote>
False, but I knew a pig like him would appreciate it.
He chuckled, the predictable simpleton that he was.
--
<i>go go Christian!</i>
“Where do we go from here?” Amanda asked.
Straight to hell, after the amount of ethical rules I’m about to break.
His tone was airy yet undistinguishable. My instincts told me to watch out. My ovaries told them to shut up.
His smirk widened. My thighs informed me they were sold on this man and had no qualms about running off with him to Paris.
That was my first lesson of adolescence.
Heartbreaks were dealt with discreetly. In the back alleys of your soul. On the outside, I was strong. But inside—I cracked.
“No such luck, silver-spooned princess.”
I loathed and enjoyed this nickname in equal measures. The dig was annoying, but he did call me a princess.
Apparently, she wasn’t only cold and mean; she was also lame.
“You want to date me?” I spit out.
“I wouldn’t go that far. I’d like to sleep with you and am willing to check all the civilized boxes to get from point A to B.”
“Aw, look. The princess is up,” Riggs cooed. “You okay there, sweetie?”
“Eat shit, Riggs.”
The next day, Arsène got caught buying weed he had no intention of smoking from one of the seniors, while Riggs brought an actual mountain lion he’d somehow managed to get a leash on and declared his new pet. Both my best friends got three weeks of kitchen and laundry duty.
After that day, Riggs and Arsène made sure I would never do a kitchen shift all by myself again.
--
<i>I love these guys</i>
“I’ll cancel our wedding invitations.”
“But not the cake. Send the cake to my office. I’ve been craving sugar all week.”
“Want some company?”
Just fucking offer her your balls already. Throw in your apartment too, Christian.
I was willing to sign over the remainder of my life to her and everything I valued, including Arsène and Riggs, if it meant making her never stop.
--
<i>omg poor arsène and riggs</i>
“Grabbing my keys and coming. Beer?”
I rubbed my eye sockets. “Go north. Way north.”
“Brandy?”
“More like a bullet.”
She stopped when our bodies were flush against one another, swung her arm backward, and slapped me so hard I was pretty sure parts of my brain were splattered on the sidewalk.
“So you’re saying the next time I contact you, you’ll have me disbarred?” I drawled.
“At the very least.”
“Very well. Thank you, Ari.”
“Burn in hell, Nicky.”
You’re so deeply in love with the guy I’m embarrassed for your soul.
Parent me, Mother.
I just read a really good romance book, right before this one. And I swear it was much better written. The dialogues and the monologues were so damn witty. I was IN AWE reading that book. The MCs we're both really nice people. Totally gave Mr Darcy and a much more vibrant Ms Elizabeth vibes. Buuuuuut, it took me 9 days to finish that book.
Whereas this book in here. Sure it had amusing characters.. the MCs we're morally a teensy bit grey, definitely far from being good/innocent. A plot that's been in existence since the day Wattpad was invented. BUT, it took me only a single day to finish this book. And if I hadn't had to go to work, this would've been done in a single sitting. Bcoz this is what L J Shen does. She knows how to keep her audience hooked and invested.
I was in looooooove with the flow of the story. The past and the present, tbh I did see a bit of character development in Arya as well as Christian but I also kept getting glimpses of their past selves in their present and tbh I did actually like it. I was really rooting for Arya and the Old Christian. As far as L J Shen's MMCs go, Christian I'd say was quite a pookie. He's not at all the big bad villain that the premise tried to sell. Everything he did was actually quite ethical and tbh he also didn't go out of his way to get his revenge plot. And even when he hated Arya he still never went on and did anything that was absolutely scandalous and unfair to Arya, and that I love. And that is also why, when the time came I didn't even really need to forgive Christian.
I just was rooting for 14 yr old Arya and the 14 yr old Nicholai (younger Christian) to get their HEA coz honestly they were every teenagers dream couple. I do think that Arya was comparatively, bring a tad bit stupid when her dad tote Christian apart from her. Girl could've used a bit more of her brain, but then again she was also quite young and had her own set of insecurities to deal with so it wasn't hard looking past that.
All in all, if you're looking to be entertained...here's the book.
I also can't wait to read abt the other 2 castaways. Maybe Riggs would end up with Jillian and Arsène is obvs gonna go for his step sis. Yum yum stuff ahead. I ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY loved how Arsène and Riggs were ALWAYS there for Christian.
<blockquote><u>Thought Process</u></blockquote>
@2% This is why I can never give up in L.J.Shen... I don't ever have to wait for the story to start <i>story-ing</i>. She pulls u right in with her writing, from the get go.
<blockquote><u>Quotes and Thoughts</u></blockquote>
False, but I knew a pig like him would appreciate it.
He chuckled, the predictable simpleton that he was.
--
<i>go go Christian!</i>
“Where do we go from here?” Amanda asked.
Straight to hell, after the amount of ethical rules I’m about to break.
His tone was airy yet undistinguishable. My instincts told me to watch out. My ovaries told them to shut up.
His smirk widened. My thighs informed me they were sold on this man and had no qualms about running off with him to Paris.
That was my first lesson of adolescence.
Heartbreaks were dealt with discreetly. In the back alleys of your soul. On the outside, I was strong. But inside—I cracked.
“No such luck, silver-spooned princess.”
I loathed and enjoyed this nickname in equal measures. The dig was annoying, but he did call me a princess.
Apparently, she wasn’t only cold and mean; she was also lame.
“You want to date me?” I spit out.
“I wouldn’t go that far. I’d like to sleep with you and am willing to check all the civilized boxes to get from point A to B.”
“Aw, look. The princess is up,” Riggs cooed. “You okay there, sweetie?”
“Eat shit, Riggs.”
The next day, Arsène got caught buying weed he had no intention of smoking from one of the seniors, while Riggs brought an actual mountain lion he’d somehow managed to get a leash on and declared his new pet. Both my best friends got three weeks of kitchen and laundry duty.
After that day, Riggs and Arsène made sure I would never do a kitchen shift all by myself again.
--
<i>I love these guys</i>
“I’ll cancel our wedding invitations.”
“But not the cake. Send the cake to my office. I’ve been craving sugar all week.”
“Want some company?”
Just fucking offer her your balls already. Throw in your apartment too, Christian.
I was willing to sign over the remainder of my life to her and everything I valued, including Arsène and Riggs, if it meant making her never stop.
--
<i>omg poor arsène and riggs</i>
“Grabbing my keys and coming. Beer?”
I rubbed my eye sockets. “Go north. Way north.”
“Brandy?”
“More like a bullet.”
She stopped when our bodies were flush against one another, swung her arm backward, and slapped me so hard I was pretty sure parts of my brain were splattered on the sidewalk.
“So you’re saying the next time I contact you, you’ll have me disbarred?” I drawled.
“At the very least.”
“Very well. Thank you, Ari.”
“Burn in hell, Nicky.”
You’re so deeply in love with the guy I’m embarrassed for your soul.
Parent me, Mother.