The Kiss Thief

When you read a book and you literally can't stop thinking about it and it sticks with you for days after finishing it, you know you just read a masterpiece. That's what The Kiss Thief was, a complete masterpiece by LJ Shen.I was FLOORED by this book! Words to express how much I loved it are so hard to find. The plot was riveting, the characters were complex, the book was so full of such an array of themes and emotions it has literally has it all! Lies, mysteries, passion, rivalry, depth, growth, banter, steam, forgiveness, truth and love. How LJ was able to convey a story that encompassed all of that and more just proves how talented she really is.So, let's delve into the book - or at least I'll try to convey with words some of the things I loved throughout reading it!We meet Francesca, (or Nemesis as she's more aptly referred to later in the story by Wolfe.) Francesca is ill prepared to live, truly live her life. She has followed the path her parents set forth for her, and she's done so for her entire life. She's resigned to live this life that they've allowed her to and when we meet her, there's no indication that she even yearns for anything more than that. She's promised to Angelo, whom she's known since childhood and loves. She shares insight to her feelings for him and that she wants to be with him, the one thing she seems to truly agree with her parents on. But she's impatient for her future and her one act of rebellion occurs when she opens a box, a box revealing something that will set in motion a future not anywhere near the path in which has been laid out by her parents. A path that she has even less control over.Wolfe Keaton is a kiss thief... but he's so much more than that. He's honest and unforgiving in his pursuits. He's undeniably the big bad wolf. But, even a wolf has a hart and I loved getting to know all facets of his personality and getting to know who he was in his heart of hearts was an amazing journey to read."I'd learned people come and go out of your life frequently and without notice. Solitude was more than a life choice. It was a virtue. A vow of sorts"This right here to me stood out as a cry for help in a way. Wolfe was used to feeling abandoned by people, so he literally distanced himself from people and thought of his solitude as a coat of armor of sorts. But, in donning his armor he closes himself off to so many amazing things in life. Could their be someone strong enough to break through his 'fortress of solitude?'With one stolen kiss, everything changes. Francesca is not prepared when Wolfe comes to her home and even less prepared when she learns that her parents agreed to allow him to marry her. With no other choice, she goes along. But she's not as weak as she always let on and Wolfe is about to meet his match. His Nemesis."I am air. Invisible and insignificant, but vital ask the same"This line is so significant to me throughout the book because, it does seem as if Francesca feels invisible at times but she truly is air because she is vital to so many people's lives and their literal survival. Her growth throughout the book was astonishing and admirable."Arrogance is a disease, compassion is the cure. Most Gods didn't like Nemesis, but that's because she had a backbone"(Francesca = Nemesis!)As the story unfolds there is a lot revealed, the story always continually moving. There of course was a reason she was "chosen", Wolfe has a vendetta against her father and he'll stop at nothing to see him destroyed. He just didn't count on feeling anything for his little Nemesis."What are you going to do with my father?""I'm going to ruin him""And with me, what are you going to do with me?""Save you"But what he doesn't know, is that she is the one who will ultimately save him, she will be the one to break down his fortress of solitude and give his life purpose again."You took a hammer and broke down his walls, brick by brick. I watched as they collapsed, how he scrambled to try and rebuild them every time he left your room. Your love story was no fairy tale. More like a witch tale. Wicked and real and painful"Wolfe may have stolen a kiss and her 'freedom' but he also in a way gave her the keys to open up her own freedom. To discover who she really was and that in turn allowed him to open up to his own freedom. The path may have been broken and bumpy but it lead to something truly beautiful."We were no longer two strangers sharing a roof. We were entwined and entangled, connected with invisible strings, each of us trying to pull away, only to create more knots that made us closer"That quote RIGHT THERE! SWOON! As I read I could practically see the knots forming, becoming so unbreakable and strong, not even Houdini could undo those knots the strings created! I honestly can't put into words how much I loved this book. I highly recommend reading it. Wolfe Keaton won't just steal a kiss, he'll steal your heart!"Wolf Keaton was a kiss thief, but it wasn't only a kiss that he stole. He stole my heart too. Ripped it from my chest and put it in his pocket" ----- I feel you Nem, I totally feel the SAME WAY! Thank you Leigh, you wrote a truly remarkable book and I give you tons of kudos for a job well done!

Story: 4🌟Spice level - 🌶🌶🌶Re-read/re-listen: Yes, but probably not oftenRecommend: YesTroupe: Enemies to lovers and age gapNarrators: 5 🌟 Stephen Dexter and Savannah PeachwoodStory: This was not my favorite, but it was not bad at all. I just had other favorites that i enjoyed more. I really enjoyed the Devil Wears Black, Dirty Headlines, and Thorne Princess more.I think there was a point in this book where I was struggling to keep interest. I am glad I did. I really loved the outcome and the ending ( even though I wish it was a tiny bit longer), and some of the revelations made in this book were like..... ummm esqueeze me? Lol. I am glad I read /listened to this one.

From Lala’s Book ReviewsOMG! I had seen this book all over instagram a couple of months back and with the cover alone, I wanted to read this book! Now, I didn’t actually read any reviews that anyone had posted, so I really went inside of this book blind other than the synopsis thatI didn’t even read fully. I had spend the past couple of nights staying up late into the night to keep reading about Francesca and Wolfe.When I went into the book, I thought it was going to be set in a fictional world with royal families, instead it’s set in modern day Chicago with the Italian mob and the senator for the state looking for revenge.Francesca comes from money, dirty money but money nonetheless, and has been sent off to boarding school over seas. she has essentially been raised to be the perfect wife to have children and be by her husband’s side. She has always dreamed of marrying her childhood friend Angelo who’s the son of a man working with her father. It seems to be a match made in heaven with two of the most power Italian families coming together except when one of the tests of fate being that her first kiss was stolen by a rude man who happens to be the senator and thinks she’s a spoiled child.When Senator Wolfe sees Francesca, he sees her as a way to get what he wants and that’s to see her father’s empire go down burning to nothing. He wants to have his own justice for everything that her father has taken away from him over the years, and Wolfe doesn’t care what he has to do or who he has to hurt.Wolfe is an arrogant man who gets everything he wants. He came from nothing and has became a senator at a young age. He been hardened by the things that he has seen from a young age. He’s a womanizer who yields to no one.At first I wasn’t sure how to feel about Wolfe because yes he may be attractive, arrogant, and have the “I don’t care about anything” attitude which is something I like in my book boyfriends, but at the same time he was very hot/cold and for a while it seemed like we were never going to get close to his character because his walls were so thick. Over the course of the book, we get a glimpse into his past and all of the secrets that has hardened his heart.Francesca may look like the girl who has had everything handed to her and sure she hasn’t had to work a day in her life, but has more morales and values that some people who have been to hell and back. She has a caring heart even for those who have hurt her, yet she’s able to fight the man who has so many bending to his will because of his personality. She fights the arranged marriage to Wolfe tooth and nail.Somewhere along the way and even through his tough exterior mind games, Francesca sees something in Wolfe that calls to her and makes her fight this persona that he puts up. The only thing is that Wolfe still isn’t sure what his feelings for Francesca truly are and how she fits into his life considering that he thought she wouldn’t be as feisty as she is.As far as I’m, concerned Angelo was never really a love interest despite Francesca prior feelings for him. I think Angelo had trouble accepting the fact this his perfect plan of marring someone who convenient (not that he made Francesca to be a trophy wife or anything because he did care about her as a person), but she was someone who was always just there for him, and when his plan was destroyed by Wolfe’s engagement; he didn’t talk the news well.Th Kiss Thief is a dark and heavy contemporary that isn’t for the faint of heart. There’s a lot of cussing and steamy scenes that isn’t for everyone, but it really is a gritty, beautiful book that had me captivated and reading late into the night.The writing of this book is pretty great because it’s told from Francesca and Wolf’s POV, and they have very distinctive voices where it’s obvious who’s talking. In books in the past with alternating POV some of the character’s voices sounded so much a like, but not in this book. You can feel the difference in their mindset and the thing that drives them throughout the entire book!

I enjoyed following this storyline. It's rare to read the intended mindset of a teenager and not feel irritated and the need to skip their sections. LJ Shen is able to show you "Nems" immaturity without making it cringe worthy.Not too many graphic "mafia scenes"; a 2 on the Spice-meter for me. Rated 4 as I did end up wanting to skip pages at the end to detour from the descriptions meant to amplify the excitement of the main plot and get back to the main scene unfolding. If i did skip, I felt like my own anticipation and imagination would have made the unfolding of the plot emotionally charged.Great read for teenagers, mafia, enemies to lovers, age gap enthusiasts!

Oh my gawd!! No one does enemies-to-lovers better than this author! This was such a thrilling read!"Tonight I was going to be kissed by the love of my life."Francesca Rossi is The Outfit's equivalent of Helen of Troy in terms of her famed beauty. She's highly coveted, but jealously guarded and sheltered by her father. At nineteen and hopelessly romantic, she's determined to fulfil her dreams and her destiny. Unfortunately, her fate is derailed by the odious man who steals her first kiss."He was everything bad that'd ever happened to me."Wolfe Keaton is hell bent on revenge. When he realises that the Rossi princess is his enemy's prized possession, he knows exactly how to begin his campaign to bring the father down. However, Francesca is far from the vapid, spoiled and pampered society girl that she portrays. In fact, he has possibly met his match."Your love story was no fairy tale. More like a witch tale. Wicked and real and painful."This was SUCH a brilliant, solid read! It had all the feels: innocent young love, hope, fear, anger, jealousy, betrayal, bright hot passion, and a stealthy, binding love. I was completely hooked and struggled to put this story down."Why did it feel like he dipped me in liquid fire every time his eyes were on me? And how could I make it stop?"Francesca was a strong female lead. Sheltered all her life, she's innocent in so many ways, yet she is naturally graceful, resilient, and thoughtful. She's also pretty smart and sassy. I loved how she fought to be heard and respected, and valued for herself as a person. The bonds of duty and familial love were strong in her, so it was painful to see the scales fall from her eyes. Stubborn and defiant, she tested Wolfe's patience to the limit, and I admired her tenacity and courage."Francesca had been growing on me like fingernails. Slowly, determinedly, and completely without my attention or encouragement."Wolfe was a man of fiery ice and beyond guarded. He was also powerful, commanding and virile. With few friends and no family, he only has one goal in mind. He was such a contradictory man - his actions belied his words. The beautiful, modest Francesca crept up on him and it was wondrous to see the chinks in his armour, as he risked so much for her.A stunning, addictive and scorching read!

I can’t get enough of any book that features any sort of love triangle/ arranged marriage. It’s the one storyline that I can’t resist. It usually ups the angst and that’s what I look for in my books. I had such high expectations for The Kiss Thief after reading the blurb that when it come to actually reading it I was slightly apprehensive. I shouldn’t have been. L.J. Shen has done it again! The male lead in The Kiss Thief is everything I look for in my fictional men, I was practically a puddle reading this book I was swooning so hard.This book has everything I look for in a book. Men to hate/love. A female lead who won me over yet was the reason for me throwing my book across the room. The angst is the perfect amount. The chemistry between the main characters is everything! Hate, lust, more hate, an unwanted attraction....I couldn’t get enough of it.I’m a massive fan of this author but this book was something else. Ms Shen has outdone herself with The Kiss Thief and it’s characters. This is without a doubt her best work to date (in my opinion) and I already can’t wait to re read it.

Im going to just say it. I wasnt overly excited to read this. I gave in to peer pressure because everyone was talking about it. I went in thinking it was going to be a predictable story, albeit well written, i didnt have high hopes. I cannot be more happier to say i was wrong. It was nothing that i was expecting, it was actually the opposite of what i expected, and it was absolutely fantastic. It has had me hooked for the last 24 hours, i have lost sleep and nearly lost my job because i just couldnt put it down! It was such an amazing book and i beg you all to go and read it now. I am ashamed of myself for losing faith in an author that has never let me down in the past with her amazing books, i wont be doubting her ever again! Five stars are no where near enough!!

I definitely have a soft spot for the darker side of romance in books, so it should come as no shock that I thought this book was fantastic, just the perfect amount of escapism with a lot of chemistry and drama thrown in. I first found this book because it was part of the Goodread’s choice awards one year and I thought the cover was really pretty, at first I thought it was going to be a light-hearted type of romance but I was glad to be proven wrong when I read the blurb because I do enjoy a bit of angst and tension.As much as I know I shouldn’t, I enjoy how despicable most of the men are in this type of book, there is just something about an arrogant alpha that floats my boat and Wolfe Keaton is a prime example. He is ruthless with charisma to spare and a steely determination when it comes to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Francesca. She is a girl from a very protective family who has been sheltered and is essentially being dictated to about what her life will look like and then Senator Keaton comes along and takes her out of her comfort zone but also gives her different options.Enemies to lovers is usually a winner for me and in this case, it worked very well, Wolfe was able to manipulate his way into Francesca’s life and then continues to wind her up throughout the beginning of their relationship. Francesca though does give as good as she gets, she didn’t always make wise choices but she wasn’t a total doormat and could be fiery at times. These two definitely take things to extremes, and there is never a dull moment, some new drama crops up at every turn and managed to keep me wrapped up in this story, it was one that I did not want to have to put down.There were quite a few unexpected layers to this story, whilst there are some parts that are fairly typical of the genre there was also a lot that added a bit more depth which was something I wouldn’t have anticipated. I don’t want to go into it too much but I liked how the traditions in Francesca’s family really played into the story and helped to confuse Francesca’s emotions.This is the first L.J. Shen book that I have read and I will absolutely be checking out some of the other books in her collection, if you like a romance full of tension and drama, and characters that have some sizzling chemistry then I think this is a book that you should check out.

🖤 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕂𝕚𝕤𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕖𝕗 🖤@authorljshen.Brace yourself ladies, because Senator Wolfe Keaton will not only steal your kisses but also your hearts...eventually!.Wolfe is a Grade A Alphahole - he's ruthless, ambitious, dark and he's sexy as hell. Quite a stark contrast to Francessca Rossi she's ladylike, polished and born & bred to walk in the wake of powerful men. When Wolfe steals Francessca away from her mafia family and the man she thinks she meant to marry you just know you're in for one hell of a ride.I've only read The Hunter from this author which I enjoyed. The Kiss Thief however, I loved. It has a much darker and sinister side which kept me on my toes throughout. There was one scene in particular that can only be described as uncomfortable and cruel yet it was absolutely pivotal in changing the tone of the story and placing both characters onto a path they were meant to walk together.If you like your hero's dark and broken and princesses who turn into warriors, if you like your reads slightly darker where loyalties change and there is a sense of danger lurking in the corner and of course if you're partial to the spice then maybe this could be the one for you