LOVE FILTHY MESS

by Simone Sen

A powerful billionaire.

The woman who broke his heart

A second chance, a dangerous hope and a love that stands the test of time.

Mason Hawthorne was once a boy made of soft smiles, whispered promises and stolen kisses under the shooting stars.

He was a prince made of diamonds, I was a rose made of rags. Our love was forbidden, we were opposites in every way and yet, we believed that we were made for each other.

Then one night I disappeared without a trace. No goodbye. No explanation. I didn’t just leave him. I erased myself. New name. New life. New identity. The girl he loved no longer existed.

Nine years later, fate brings me to a masquerade ball. In a room full of masks, I make one reckless move and I fall into the arms of a masked stranger.

The stranger's touch feels like a forbidden memory. His voice feels like sin. And when our masks slip, so does my carefully built life. Because standing before me is Mason Hawthorne, once again.

My ex-boyfriend is all grown up into this handsome, ruthless man with wealth and wickedness as his virtue. And he wants answers from me.

He wants me to remember, while I want to stay forgotten. His plan is to make me fall in love and keep me forever.

Loving Mason is easy. But forever is a mistake for a girl like me. My life is tangled in secrets and lies.

What will he do when he learns the one thing I never want him to find out?

Turns out Mason is hiding a few secrets of his own.



LOVE FlLTHY MESS is a second chance forbidden billionaire romance with an alpha male-possessive hero, forced proximity, ex lovers reunited, and a heroine with a secret past that adds high stakes drama that ends with a swoony happily ever after.

480 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2026

About the author

Simone Sen writes swoony spicy romance. She is obsessed with enemies-to-lovers drama and opposites-attract chaos, and her stories start off with this vibe offering a feel good escapism from the daily grind.

She lives in the sunshine state of Australia lives with her family. When she isn’t typing the words for a fake date catastrophe or a hilarious drunken confession, you can find her close to the ocean waves or trekking forest trails.

She loves romance in the rain, so there's always going to be a scene like that in every one of her books.

Reviews

[Jamie]

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this as an arc.

DNFd on may 17th, unsure of the amount of pages. Just wasn't interested in a 'second chance romance' where the MMC has slept around that much.

[Samantha Flory · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ ARC REVIEW ⭐

*Love Filthy Mess* by Simone Sen 🖤🎭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🔥 3 spice

This book was messy, emotional, dramatic, swoony, and honestly really addictive 😮‍💨

The second chance romance mixed with secrets, heartbreak, obsession, and forced proximity had me hooked from the start. Mason and Tia/Rose had so much unresolved tension between them that every interaction felt intense.

I loved the masquerade ball setup at the beginning too—it was such a dramatic way for them to reconnect after all those years 👀

Mason was possessive, obsessive, and completely gone for her, while Tia/Rose spent so much of the book trying to run from both him and her past. Their relationship definitely had that constant push and pull dynamic throughout the story.

There were also some really sweet and funny moments mixed in with all the angst and drama, which helped balance out the heavier emotional parts.

The twists and reveals near the end honestly surprised me, and once everything started unpacking, I couldn’t stop reading.

I will say the story did feel a little long at times, and some of the communication issues between the characters became frustrating, but overall I still really enjoyed the emotional chaos, banter, and chemistry between them.

If you love second chance romance, billionaire MMCs, ex lovers reunited, obsessive love interests, emotional angst, and dramatic romance, definitely give this one a go 🖤

[Sarah Putrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but I definitely have mixed feelings about it too. The book started off strong, intense with lots of tension and mystery. I loved their HEA though and it did have a lot of humor throughout that kept it interesting. The characters in this were likeable and the storyline interesting.

I definitely struggled the longer I read the book I felt like it just dragged on and on. It could have been shorter and still have so much depth still. It was the constant pulling away for me that annoyed me. One minute Tia/Rose would go to Mason and want to be with and then immediately run away, repeat so many times. I mean even I was frustrated by the third time by all the games it just felt really immature. I get she was running from something in her past clearly but it felt like a combination. Their communication was terrible. He took control instead of saying anything and she avoided instead of saying anything. Things often turned to spicy scenes rather than communication that should happen. The spice was really good though.

Overall I did really like this book with the banter, the spice, the characters, and emotional depth. I really enjoyed the ending though I would have loved to have a glimpse into their future a bit since at one point they were trying for something but wasn't mentioned again.

[Cera Schulke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off SO strong for me. The tension, chemistry, and buildup were all fantastic, and I was immediately invested in the story and the relationship.

But as the book went on, I really struggled with the dynamic between the characters. I personally don’t vibe with overly macho, controlling men who make major life decisions for the FMC without asking what she actually wants first. Even if his intentions were good and he genuinely wanted to help her, it still frustrated me how often he took control instead of communicating with her.
And every time she tried to confront him about it, the tension usually turned into spice before they actually talked things through. The spicy scenes themselves were really well done, but it also made me more frustrated because I kept wanting her to stand her ground longer.
That being said, I really did love the ending. Seeing Thea finally get her happy ending made me emotional, and I loved that Nathan was ultimately the one to give that to her. Everything about the ending felt beautiful and satisfying.

Overall, this was a really emotionally charged read with great chemistry and a strong ending, even if some of the relationship dynamics didn’t fully work for me personally.

[Ashh C · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.

Let’s talk with the good.. they got the HEA. Happy for them! The funny moments were down right hilarious !!! The dark hard moments had my own heart breaking… and to watch the MCs overcome their demons was awesome.

But.. I don’t know I wasn’t into this one as much as I was with the first book. Maybe it was because the FMC’s views / thoughts and words used for “intimate moments” such as “boinking” I don’t know it kinda made me cringe.. felt very immature.. I understand she was very sheltered but still she’s suppose to be mid 20s close to 30s now. It just seemed off and gave me the ick. The book starts off at an adult s*x masquerade party. People talk about Mr. M being this s*x god so you think this book is going to be very spicy and it really doesn’t do that. Yes there are some heated moments and again maybe because she is more on the sheltered side so maybe that’s why it didn’t lean into too much spice but you would think because she was so sheltered that he would be the one to show her more. I don’t know like I said a lot of parts made me cringe instead.

[Cecilie Bertelsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5 ⭐️
ARC review:
Thank you to the author for letting me be an arc reader on your book.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. It really had potential with the banter between the mc’s and plot of the story, but at the same time it was also a mess; which is also the fmc’s nickname for the mmc. There was a lot going on and I had a hard time keeping up with the story and everything that was happening. Almost got whiplash reading this.

I know it’s supposed to have these funny moments all throughout the book but it often felt forced and not really funny. I also didn’t really connect with the main characters and had a hard time following the story. The spicy scenes were meh and didn’t feel natural. In some chapters it even felt too much and thrown in there just because …

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rose had to disappear all though years ago, but life is giving her a second chance when she runs into her ex again. He is different now, but one thing remains the same, he has not forgotten her and he still wants her and will do anything to get her. This is a billionaire, second-chance romance. Mason goes between a ruthless, cold-hearted, businessman and a love sick puppy. It is very jarring as he switches between personas. She wants him, but her insecurities and secrets keep causing her to push him away. Lots of whiplash there. There was a lot going on this book and I can't get into all of it without giving out spoilers, but overall we have family drama on both sides, insecurities, a pushy mmc, and so much more. Be sure to read the content warnings before reading.

[Betty Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise of the book - friends in school that became lovers but then she mysteriously ends the relationship. Unfortunately the story didn’t connect with me. I had difficulty connecting with the characters. It felt that their feelings and reactions to the circumstances didn’t match their age or the gravity of the situations.
I didn’t feel invested in their falling back into their love. The story had glimpses of good storyline but it felt like the flow of the story wasn’t naturally developing for me. I did like the larger supporting cast of friends that supported primarily Mason. That friendship group did connect with me. But unfortunately the rest of the storyline fell short for me.

[Angela Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a lot of great things about this book that I really enjoyed. There was good banter, a great storyline and likeable characters. I struggled to continue during the first half because I felt like I was missing something and that was the back stories. More specifically what the FMC's reasons were for leaving. I never felt like she hated the MMC, I think she thought she was keeping him safe. I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it. There were a lot of diverse characters and backgrounds. The steamy scenes were 🔥. Definitely would have been 5🌟if the backstories were more fleshed out. The MMC seemed unhinged in the beginning but honestly grew on me as the book continued.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for my ARC of ‘Love Filthy Mess’

I’d rate the book 3.5 🌟’s
As others have said, it started out strong but for me it just got a bit lost amongst the messiness that followed. It made the story feel longer than needed.
Pros:
I do love a good second chance romance, the spicy scenes were good, their humour was good, the and I liked the characters finally getting their HEA.
Cons:
Too long overall (or felt it), too much back and forth (I love you, I hate you kind), MMC might have been too much of a man whore for me, and the characters personalities just seemed a bit confused.

I will read authors future works. I feel this had potential but just fell a bit short.

[a.vangasse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review of an arc, provided by the author. Thank you Simone Sen for this opportunity 😆

I loved the story of Mason and Tia. They both had traumatic events happend to them but fought for there happy lives.
Had some moments it was hard to keep up with everything but the chemistry between them was on fire.

There was banter, angst, love and not forget about the spice!

If you like
👉 billionaire romance
👉 angst
👉 banter
👉 second chance
👉 strong fmc


Then you should definitely read this book!

[Carolyn Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pulled me in and I didn’t want to put it down. In parts, this book is funny, over the top, swoony, obsessive, romantic, annoying, steamy and dark. Near the end a lot gets unpacked that I did not see coming. The big drawback is it could have been shorter and still covered everything. This didn’t really bother me since I tend to skip long descriptive sections while reading. This is only the second book by the author and that may change with experience. Overall, it is well written with interesting characters. I will definitely continue to read the author’s work.

[Alyssa Maness · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to like this book. I really wanted to like this. It has the potential to be a really great story line, but I found it very difficult to follow. A lot of whip lash, one line the FMC hates the MMC and the next she is giving in. Now don’t get me wrong I love a love to hate relationship, this was not that. This was poorly written and I wanted to quit 12% in, but I continued on and DNF at 42%.

[Brittany Alonzo De Paz · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶🌶🌶

Mason and Tia had a heartbreaking story that spanned over many years. I would have loved to see more of the backstory as to why Mason became so devoted/obsessed with Tia. I feel that would have brought a lot more emotion to the story.

There were many spicy and funny scenes that kept the book flowing at a good pace. Both MC had growth throughout the book, which is always good to see.

[Jamaica · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW;

So, I will still give it five stars because this book is beautifully written with details. The romance is sweet, funny, and honestly has you rooting for it. However, it’s not to my taste. This is a little more softer than what I am used to, this might be nice for someone who is just experiencing romance novels. It’s just not for me.

Trust me, it’s a nice read, love the detail and the story behind it. It leaves you curious. Just not to my taste.

[MisTea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The premise was spot on and is right up my alley. Unfortunately, the book fell flat. I was confused - and not in a good way - for most of the book. While it had some glimmers, some funny/sweet moments, most of the interactions between the MCs felt forced. Tia/Rose had a troubled yet sheltered (??) life and Mason experienced trauma in his youth. Both are broken yet fit together. Parts of the story were strong but most fell flat to me.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book.
The opening scenes of this book are so promising - starting out at a masquerade/sex party. But I found that as the book goes on it feels tamer, spice wise.
I really liked the plot but felt like it didn’t move quickly enough for me and I was waiting for quite a while to find out why Tia left. I really felt for them, the writing evokes emotion and I felt I was going through it with the characters.
I enjoyed the book and would read it again!

[Jazmyne Janai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Tia and Mason is definitely a filthy mess. The name of the book fits their love story so perfectly. Both of them have past that they are trying to run/hide from. Tia was completely trying to stay hidden, but she can’t hide from Mason. He will do and he did whatever was necessary to have her. Very OTTP!! But I actually really liked Mason and all his red flags. I think some of the story dragged and maybe was a little too long but it was good.

[Kayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

***ARC Review ***
This book is good i kept getting lost with it going back and forewards where i felt lost with the plot and the problematic characters and i do love the morally grey characters but it took me a while to finish. saying that the story redeemed it self in the end and i enjoyed the story. please stick with it.

[Anne Boddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mason & Tia's story of first love lost and found. Great character and story development. The story makes you want them to get the happily ever after that was stolen from them before. So much tragety thrown in in the mix keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. Lots of complex side characters to easily make for more books in the future. All around enjoyable read.

[Jas's booktok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review...
This book had a nice back story... childhood loves but she runs away and he finds her 9 years later... I found it hard to keep up with story... alot of back and forth between past and present... I did like male character.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this as an advance copy from the author. I really liked the characters but found it a bit slow as far as revealing what exactly happened to separate them when they were young. Characters had quite a lot of push and pull but you could tell from early on they had a strong bond.

[Selina Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for my ARC c90y and this is my honest review.

Tia and Mason are great characters, a little hard to keep up with at times but the chemistry between them was undeniable.

Looking forward to book 3 - Jake and Mia

[Naomi kimbrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a mega spicy romance, where you really get to know the characters.  The path to this romance is extremely rocky with lots of twists.  If you like spicy, second chance romances, then this book is for you!  I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Bea Castor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for letting me have an ARC for this. I kinda liked the story. I'm in for the second chance romance books(: but this book made me feel exhausted. Too much back and forth on their relationship. Also, Mason is too possesive.

But I liked their imperfect relationship. The ending is okay.

[Monica Minniti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2. I don’t read book 1 so I missed some things about the storyline. I would recommend reading the first book if you want more clarity. There was good banter, a great storyline and likeable characters. The steamy scenes were great as well. Spice for me was 🌶️🌶️ and stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this as an E-ARC and I really enjoyed it and how badass the fmc is was so nice to see !

[Kristi Erickson · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC Review:

This book was just ok for me. If I stopped paying super close attention at all, I was lost if it was past or present. The banter was entertaining, but honestly that was about it.

[Breane Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great second chance contemporary romance. Not my normal read at all but sounded interesting. Glad I took a chance as the story sucks you in and doesn’t let go. Definitely recommend it!