To marry or not to marry Boston’s favorite villain?
The Villain, an all-new dark and decadent love story from USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!
Cruel. Coldblooded. Hades in a Brioni suit.
Cillian Fitzpatrick has been dubbed every wicked thing on planet earth.
To the media, he is The Villain.
To me, he is the man who (reluctantly) saved my life.
Now I need him to do me another, small solid.
Bail me out of the mess my husband got me into.
What’s a hundred grand to one of the wealthiest men in America, anyway?
Only Cillian doesn’t hand out free favors.
The price for the money, it turns out, is my freedom.
Now I’m the eldest Fitzpatrick brother’s little toy.
To play, to mold, to break.
Too bad Cillian forgot one, tiny detail.
Persephone wasn’t only the goddess of spring; she was also the queen of death.
He thinks I’ll buckle under the weight of his mind games.
He is about to find out the most lethal poison is also the sweetest.
5 Amazing Stars!
Review by Lisa Kane
Persephone Penrose was named by her eccentric aunt Tilda. She lost her aunt to cancer but had 12 years of memories with her. One of their favorites-gazing at the sky choosing names for the fluffy clouds. When she was dying and Persy asked her how she would know that she was still with her, she told her,
"When the time comes and you grow up, ask for something you want-something you really want-when you see a lone cloud in the sky, and I will grant it to you. That's how you'll know I'm there watching. You only get one miracle, Persephone, so be careful what you wish for."
Persophone has harbored a crush on Cillian Fitzpatrick for years. He has never, not once, acknowledged her presence. Persy is the flower girl (yes, an adult flower girl) at her best friend Sailor's wedding to Hunter, Cillian's brother. Just before the wedding, she develops and allergic reaction and is rescued by an unlikely hero-Cillian. It becomes an embarrassing encounter, but one that prompts Persy to use the one in a lifetime wish.
"I wish you'd fall in love with me."
Uh oh, this isn't going to end pretty.
Fast forward a few years and Persy finds herself penniless and in debt. Actually it's her missing husband, Pax Veitch's debts. But he took off and the loan sharks are circling the waters and they aren't looking to nibble, they are looking to feed. They have plans for her to pay off the $100,000 debt.
"You'll be on your back in the VIP room. Although I can't promise you won't be on your hands and knees, too, if they're willing to pay extra."
How can she pay off the debt? She's an elementary school teacher. She lives with her sister, Bella. That's when she comes up with a plan to beg Cillian for the money.
Cillian "Kill" Fitzpatrick was my best shot at getting the money.
Now things are complicated with him. He's the newly appointed CEO of Royal Pipelines. He's shrewd, talented and totally without empathy for anyone or anything. He is a total PR nightmare. Oh, and he just started drilling in the Arctic and the public hates him. He couldn't care less but it seems that his controlling father and his lawyer think he better turn his image around. Marry, start a family, do something normal people do. After much ado, bride meet groom.
In his mind, Cillian has entered into an arranged marriage to gain an heir. He's not going to let all his sweat and work go to one of his siblings' children. He may be attracted to Persy but he won't allow himself to feel.
I adore a book with two strong characters, each with their own agenda. Reading Cillian's POV can be infuriating. He is so cold and rigid.
Only in her case, I didn't want my life tied with hers.
Didn't want to see her, hear from her, and endure her presence.
Didn't want her to owe me.
She'd been infatuated with me before. Feelings did not interest me unless I found a way to exploit them.
But slowly he starts to feel messy emotions. And Persy challenges him, constantly.
Her gaze clung to mine. "I don't buy your story."
"Lucky for me, I'm not James Patterson."
Jeez, how can you not love their exchanges?
The Villain is a lengthy book. But the pages flew and not once did my attention wander. I have been in somewhat of a book funk and have had trouble concentrating on reading. But this Stella got her groove back. This book has twists and each time I thought Cillian is going to cave in, finally this character is going to recognize that he can have love in his life, he would do his best to self destruct and break Persy's heart. Along with her heart, he was constantly breaking mine right along with hers. But still, I kept reading. Hoping, knowing somewhere there was going to be a big pot of gold at the end of these thunderstorms. I had to work for it, but what an ending!
"The contract still stands. My soul is yours."
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About L.J. Shen
L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to twenty different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
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