The Kiss Thief

Welcome to the world of wealth and privilege . The world where the rules are followed to the max and when it comes to love there are rules that can not be broken . Oh so thought Francesca Rossi , nineteen and ready to marry her childhood sweetheart . Angelo who is the son of a fellow mobster . Until the night a man stole her kiss and her life away from her over protective family. Will Wolfe and Francesca survive the missed cues and the fighting against each other , to let each other in to their hearts and fall in love that they know they are in . When I started reading this book I really couldn't connect with Francesca . To me at the beginning she came off as a spoiled little rich kid . That has been pampered and sheltered her whole life . There were moments I really just wanted to turn her over my knee and spank her . But as I read the book I realized that she is stronger then she lets on . She is a fighter and will do everything in her power to help those she loves . Even if he is too block headed to realize it . Wolfe Keaton well he is a man's man , and bent on revenge. To take down all the made men in Chicago . When we meet him he is oh so arrogant . There are times I just wanted to slap him hard across his smug face . But just like Francesca there is so much more to him . We see that there is a deep hurt that is in his heart . As you get deeper into the book you see him change and realize that love is good and being part of a family is good . He becomes the man that you could fall in love with very easily . I did like these characters as I watched them grow . They were good characters by themselves but together they were on fire . The other characters are diverse and very well written .You see arrogance and denial all the way through the book . The one other character that really got to me was Francesca's mother , she is the biggest person in denial in the book . She goes through so much in the book you want to hug her and tell her everything will be ok . This book has so many twists and turns you will be reading all night long . The author takes us along for a roller coaster ride with lots of feels . Trust me there are so many emotions running around in your mind when you read this book . I will admit that the big age difference had me bothered at the beginning ,but it does disappear after awhile and you forget the age difference . The romance between the two main characters is explosives , raw and emotional. You will love them and hate both of them at the same time . The author has a way of ripping out your heart . smashing it to the ground and then picking it up and repair it . I took a chance on this book when I heard about it in a book club . I am so glad I did , I got sucked in and couldn't get out until I was done . So if you want a great story that will pull you in and keep you there until the end check it out . You will not be disappointed .

4⭐ | 2.5🌶️ This had all the drama and intensity I expect from an L.J. Shen book, and I ate it up. I couldn’t put it down—literally switched between Kindle and audio just to keep going. Tropes: 💞 Enemies to Lovers 💍 Marriage of Convenience 🩶 Morally Gray Hero ☯️ Antihero × Good Girl 🗡️ Touch Her & Die 🛏️ Forced Proximity ❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn 👁️ Obsession / Possessive Hero 💔 Love Triangle 🔥 Revenge Plot Review: The Kiss Thief is exactly the kind of dark yet emotionally charged story you expect from L.J. Shen. The plot pulls you in fast and doesn’t let go—I ended up splitting my time between Kindle and audiobook just to keep going. I don’t typically gravitate toward naïve heroines or the virginal trope, but Francesca was easy to love and root for. She’s sheltered, yes, but also independent and self-assured. Wolfe, on the other hand, is peak morally gray alpha—ruthless, complex, and somehow impossible not to fall for. Even though it’s set in present day, the world and dynamics feel almost old-world, which adds to the story’s intensity and drama. And while I usually hate nicknames in romance, Wolfe calling Francesca “Nem” didn’t bother me at all—I actually loved the Greek symbolism behind it. My only real complaint is that I wanted more. The resolution and HEA felt rushed, with a lot of important moments glossed over in the epilogue. I would’ve loved full scenes and chapters instead of a retrospective wrap-up. Overall, a gripping, fast-paced read with strong characters and just enough angst to keep you hooked.

The Kiss Thief is a stand-alone enemies to lovers, age gap, arranged marriage mafia romance and is the story of Wolfe and Francessca. Francessca’s mother has groomed her to become a good mafia wife from her birth and raised her with the belief that the advice in a handed down box will have her finding the live of her life. Deciding to take her fate into her own hands, Francessca sneaks into the box early and finds the first note telling her, her true love will steal her first kiss. Wolfe claims Francessca’s first kiss under the guise of being her childhood crush and her shock and horror of who he really is, is apparent. Wolfe is out for revenge against Francessca’s father and Wolfe blackmails him for her hand in marriage. Vowing to never love her, Wolfe slowly finds there is much more to Francessca than he ever thought and his hatred of her family only complicates their marriage. LJ Shen is a master at creating dark anti-hero men that evolve into protective men who will stop at nothing for the women they love. From their very first meeting, there was so much chemistry and animosity between Wolfe and Francessca and it only served to create a build up of tension and sexual chemistry between them. Wolfe’s jealousy of her childhood crush caused turmoil and caused him to be callous and rough in moments with Francessca. I enjoyed how Wolfe grew as a person and as a person and was able to see how his actions caused pain to Francessca and that he was able to realize that he loved her and was willing to fight for and beside her. If you love a good morally grey man who is willing to do whatever he must to protect what is his and while trying to find justice, this is the perfect book for you. Full of chemistry, banter, tension and a little drama, enjoy the ride and Wolfe will show you the man he truly is and Francessca grows into a self-assured woman who stands up for herself and the man she loves. I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving an honest review as a show of my appreciation.

I've read several books by L.J. Shen, and so far, I think this is her best. Not counting the Dark Prince Road series, which is my favorite. At first, it seemed very similar to My Dark Romeo, but then it began to take shape, and I both loved and hated Wolfe. However, the plot completely captivated me. This is truly an enemy to lovers, and the entire story surrounding the characters made this book quite entertaining.

she is beautiful

I have read this book online and liked it so much I bought it in paperback. It’s gorgeous :)

What to say?? LJ Shen is a goddess in writing, her words are like poetry with lots of meaning and emotions that can’t be deciphered in one go. Reading a physical copy of the book is absolutely different from an ebook and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Francesca & Wolfe were in an arranged marriage setup which took so many different turns and twists. They were superbly engaging and hooked me to the story, making me feel bad for it to have ended. I need more of them. The banter in the book is freaking mind-blowing. Every interaction had something different to give. Every chapter had something good to offer with this brilliant dual PoV story. The plot is admirable and the suspense is heartfelt. I will definitely recommend the book to everyone.

Gosto demais da escrita da autora, a forma como os personagens são pacionais é bem intensa e gosto disso, gente vive aquele momento. Keaton e Francesca começaram com a pé errado, mas aprenderam depois de muito lutares um contra o outro o que é preciso para se unir e lutar a favor do outro. O final é feliz como todo livro que leio e isso aquece o coração. Não gostei de um dos plots, mas da para relevar.