Review ~ Truly Madly Deeply by L.J. Shen

Truly Madly Deeply by L.J. Shen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It has been some time since I’ve read a book by L.J. Shen, and I was excited to get into this one. Cal and Row had some history and were brought back together due to Cal’s fathers passing and a promise to her mother to hang around for a while. I was excited to see these two together and to see how they would interact given their history.

To be honest, I was annoyed with Row’s sister Dylan, as she was selfish and was really not a good friend to Cal considering the way she reacted when they were children and when they crossed paths in the present. She was still very self-centred, but I could see that she was beginning to make progress with Cal in restoring their friendship.

The relationship with Cal and Row was amusing to watch as it was obvious that they both had good chemistry and the banter between them was amusing. I liked seeing them growing as adults, however a lot of drama could have been avoided. There were some secondary storylines that threw me a bit, as I felt that they were a bit far-fetched, but the read was ok considering. It wasn’t my favourite book by L.J. Shen, however it won’t deter me from picking up more of her work.

Title: Truly Madly Deeply

Author: L.J. Shen

Series: Forbidden Love #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: September 10, 2024

This old flame just might set them on fire.

Conceited, unattainable, and downright delicious, renowned Michelin-starred chef Ambrose Casablancas has one passion in life—food.

Women are a distraction, and he doesn’t do those. Especially Cal Litvin, his baby sister’s best friend. Her entire existence is a complication; she’s awkward, eccentric, infuriating…

And, much to his chagrin, hotter than his kitchen.

Ambrose has a lot on his a new restaurant to open, a multimillion-dollar property deal to execute, and a violent stalker to tame.

Then Cal shows up at his doorstep, looking for both a job and salvation after their messy goodbye. His resolve, like his patience, is ebbing each day she works at his restaurant.

Because Cal is no longer a doe-eyed girl.

Now? She’s the woman he’ll do anything to conquer.

***

Quirky, compassionate ball of sunshine Calla Litvin can’t catch a break, and not just because she swore off running.

Back in her hometown to nurse her mother’s broken heart after losing her father, she finds herself jobless, hopeless, and penniless. She hopes to rekindle her friendship with her former BFF, but Dylan is attached at the hip to her cruel brother—the one Cal’s been secretly crushing on since middle school.

Falling for the bad boy the second time around would be a mistake of gargantuan proportions.

Too bad she’s always been clumsy.

Truly, Madly, Deeply, is a grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers romance. It is the first in the Forbidden Love series, but can be read as a standalone.

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