Bane

This is one of those books that is hard for me to review. I've been staring at a blank page for hours wondering how I should word this, how much detail to give. I'm going to start by saying that I love L.J. Shen's writing, I love how she isn't afraid to get down and dirty with characters and experiences. It's refreshing and a pleasure to read. Her writing flows so beautifully and she's the queen of arseholes that you can't help but fall in love with. However, as with life, we all experience and interpret things differently, for me, there is one subject that I struggle with and try to avoid. This book was built around that subject and for me, it's just not my thing. It's not particularly graphic, and for some people, it wouldn't affect them at all, but for me, it's not even about the graphic nature but more an emotional one, and this book has that in spades. It actually made me sit and cry and chat with my husband and he asked a very good question, ‘why are you still reading it?' And the answer is simple, because Shen's writing is powerful and captivating, had it been a different author I'd probably have thrown my hands up and said, ‘I'm out!' But I wanted to finish it, Shen put a lot of time and effort into writing it, so I partly felt that I owed it to her to finish, and partly, because I loved Bane and Jesse, I wanted to see Jesse get her Happily Ever After, no, wanted isn't right, I needed her to get her HEA.

The story itself is great and if it involved any other subject I think it would get five stars from me. I loved the back and forth between Bane and Jesse, seeing Bane falling under this woman's spell and knowing he didn't stand a chance and that all his bravado, was just that, a front, he was such a sweet guy, an arsehole, but a sweetheart with it, he felt deeply and that made him special. Jesse, damn, that girl was so strong, stronger than she or anyone ever realised and watching her break out of her bonds and be free and start living again and building relationships, it was beautiful to witness. This book also gave you many characters to hate, and I do mean hate, I sat here wanting to throat-punch them, as well as other less friendly things, and I may have shouted at my kindle more than once making both my husband and the dog jump, I guess shouting ‘fucking bitch' at your kindle is frowned upon. Pam had me so filled with rage that I just couldn't contain my anger at her. The story also has a mysterious element to it, I had my suspicions, but it was an interesting twist.

Overall this is a great book filled with emotion and suspense. It will touch you in ways other L.J. Shen books haven't. It's not an easy read. It's a story of finding love and fighting your demons. The princess doesn't need the prince in this story, but she wants him. And he's there, just in case.

Jesse and Bane is the best story of the bunch!

Wow. This book is probably my favorite of the series by a landslide. Bane and Jesse are brought together by her “step-dad” who hired Bane to get Jesse out of her shell after she was gang raped. The clause was Bane was not allowed to have sex with her. They fell in love ultimately having sex, then all the dominoes fell. Family secrets are divulged and everything Jesse thought she knew was blown up. The plot twists in this book are divine and well placed. I hate that this is the last book in this series and the others weren't nearly as good as this one.

Definitely check your trigger warnings especially in regard to rape and abuse as well as suicide.