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Licentious

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Josephine:

I lost my life when I turned eighteen. Well, not technically. Technically, I'm still alive. My heart beats, and blood continues to pump through my veins. But my dreams destroyed my family, which ultimately, destroyed who I was.

Happiness. What is happiness? Helping others? Making sure I have a smile on my face, especially in the moments when all I want is to die? Then yes. I am happy.

Aléssandro:

I wanted to be a doctor. Instead, I had to fill my brother's role in the family business. And now? Now, I am a heartless, cold-blooded killer. Not every story has a happily ever-after. Mine vanished the day my brother was murdered. That day, who I was, died with him.

When Josephine and Aléssandro's paths collide, their fates try to intervene and save each other. But can they be saved? Will the secrets they keep and the betrayals they are faced with destroy what they share? Or does love truly conquer all?

***WARNING*** This book is rated for mature audiences only, due to sexual content, including violence, sexual violence, and strong language. It also contains how one person can help a human being overcome the struggles from such traumatic events

263 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2014

4 people are currently reading
476 people want to read

About the author

Jen Cousineau

11 books343 followers
Wisconsinite. Romance Author. Twin Mom. Wife. Adventurist wannabe. Fitness enthusiast. Foodie. Hunter. Dreamer. Coffee and Chap stick addict.


Website: http://jencousineau.com
Email: jen@jencousineau.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,631 reviews10.9k followers
February 16, 2015
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TITLE: Licentious
AUTHOR: Jen Cousineau
GENRE: Dark | Romance | New Adult
RELEASE DATE: August 27th 2014
MY RATING: ★★★★★

I freaking loved this book, I guess for me it ticked all the boxes, it had the dark gritty, tough heroine, emotionally raw, hard to read elements which I really loved about this book add in the hot mafia fella and I was head over heels in love with this book!!

My dream broke everything, it destroyed my family, my best friends, it destroyed me. It tore me down.

When twin sisters go celebrating their eighteenth birthdays things take a sinister turn for the worst reading what happens to them was heartbreakingly raw!! And very hard to read through which made this for a dark, gritty, emotionally intense read..

IDENTICAL TWINS

Hang on Eve we can do anything temporarily

The mother in this book is pure evil, pay close attention to her character in this book as there is a twist where her character reveals how truly evil she really was..

SADNESS, GUILT, REGRET

So many twists and turns that will have you reeling in the aftermath!! This book is no cupcake farting unicorn kind of book, if that's the kind of book you are wanting to read, then run for the hills now because I'm warning you, you will not like this book, this book gutted me, I've read a few dark gritty reads bit this book here just went a little bit further with the horrific graphic details that occurred..It's definitely not for the faint hearted..

I'm in love with a mobster, possibly a monster

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*whispers I'm glad you didn't kill off Joey*

Profile Image for Sara Waldvogel.
4 reviews1 follower
August 27, 2014
I know my friend Jen is a talented writer, but she really blew my socks off with this book. I was captivated right away with the sisters and after the dramatic turn of events in Joey's life, I really felt I knew who Joey was and understood why she felt the way she did during certain situations. Hands down one of the best books I've ever read (besides A Deadly Bet). I have recommended this book to many of my friends. One friend said she can't seem to get anything done because she can't put the book down!!! LOVE IT!!!
Profile Image for Lelyana's Reviews.
3,416 reviews400 followers
February 2, 2018
*****STRONG MAJOR SPOILERS*****

If you're a fan , you don't want to read this. I suggest you to ignore my review.

---EDITED---


Sebetulnya males sih nulis ripiu soal buku ini lagi. Tapi berhubung banyak yg kebakaran jenggot gara2 ripiu gw yg parah (menurut mereka) dan gw bete banget karena cerita buku ini gw gak enjoy sama sekali,malah bikin mules.
Terserahlah gw mau ngomong apa kek soal nih buku.

Dan soal bahasa enggres gw...the fuck with my english. It's not my mother's language. I'm Indonesian and I'm proud of my language.
Oh yeah and I'm that good with attachments :)
Just sayin'


Don't say I haven't warned you!


One more book that everyone loved but me.


This book left me with so many questions.
In this life, I never see or hear any mother like Joey's mother. Never.
It's just amazed me how a mother could do something 'like that' to her flesh and blood just because they're a wrong gender?? WTF? REASON,PEOPLE! REASON!



I heard about mothers who ditched their kids, yes, so many...but arranged their raped and murder?
Oh..come on people ! Even animal don't do that!




Okay, I get that this book is about anti-hero or something. Believe me, I get it.

And the graphic about the rape? Ugh! Can't it just enough without repeating it again and again?
This is so sickening and nauseated.

I just couldn't get it.

And I didn't see any connection between Joey and Ale except just sex. And talking about sex...well...nothing new...just a little bit of Christian Grey here and there, and I found it wasn't hot. Just the usual. Skimming...skimming...

I didn't really care about the romance between Joey and Ale. It wasn't 'there'.

This is my face in 20%



Me while reading....







Me, in a last 20%...



Me, at the end of this book...








JUST.SHOOT.ME.

I'M DEAD!


Profile Image for Angela Wallace.
56 reviews39 followers
August 28, 2014
'We can do anything temporarily,'

... I had to keep this in mind, while I was reading the gut wrenchingly dark, achingly raw scene towards the beginning of Licentious. I felt like I'd been ripped into shreds... I was torn and my heart was bleeding beside Joey. I felt numb.

How is it possible for someone to endure so much physical and mental pain, and come out whole on the other side?... Is it even possible? Joey herself, even gets to the point where she questions God

'Ultimately, He's supposed to guide us through life, give us strength, and in the end -peace. I didn't find peace. I only found pain and pure darkness.'

Joey is shattered inside.

BROKEN.

To the outside world, she may seem whole... but she is merely existing, going through the motions of living, without actually LIVING. Freely admitting herself that...

'I'm just waiting for my time to be up'

One thing is certain though... I wanted to jump in and rip the balls off of anyone who hurt her any more.

I was routing for Joey from the start. I wanted her to reclaim everything that was ripped from her.

DREAMS

FAMILY

LOVE

LIFE

 photo 9572BD7C-31F3-44A4-9DC0-A3F829CAB383.png

Enter Aléssandro.

COCKY. ARROGANT/CONFIDENT ~ depends on your take. PLAYBOY. DANGEROUS.

BUT...

Appearances can be deceptive... I loved the way the author, Jen Cousineau, explored the dichotomy of appearance vs reality. Actions not appearances should define us... What we do, how we act, how we treat people.. not what people perceive us to be.

I liked Alé a lot... his cockiness, strength and sensitivity... well, and a few other physical things *waggles eyebrows*

Two seemingly flawed characters brought together, both emotionally guarded, both trying to move past a past...

I.LOVED.IT

A love story, with scars and flaws...

REAL.RAW...

'Everyones flawed... but perfect for you does exist. You just have to stop running.'

Does Joey stop running? That is for you to read and discover for yourself.
This was my first read of a Jen Cousineau book, and she hauled me in, and kept me spinning.

Kudos, I'll definitely be back for more...
Profile Image for Sally.
465 reviews2 followers
September 1, 2014
Licentious , by Jen Cousineau
3.5-4 Stars (leaning more towards 4)
This book had SO MUCH POTENTIAL to be a 5 star book for me as it had all the elements that I love in a book. First off it’s a dark read, second it’s a mafia book, and third I loved both the main characters as well as his whole family. And lastly did I mention HOT ALPHA MALE CAPO <3 I couldn’t stop turning the pages. But I must caution you that as a dark book lover I have read some crazy ass shit and NEVER batted an eye, but this book right here had such a graphic scene that it chills you to the bone. Believe me when I tell you that’s A LOT coming from ME! I had to put my Kindle down and walk away for a bit and private message my girls that were doing a group read with me. It was BRUTAL!! And it was a longgggg scene. And you FEEL it right down to your soul! So I give kudos to this author that could do that to ME. Because after ALL the dark reads I have read I thought nothing could really affect me that way again. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in… something else occurs that you are completely not prepared for. So OF COURSE I was HOOKED! I love that shit! I am SO torn on how to rate this book. You see I REALLY REALLY liked it but something went wrong at the tail end. The girls reading along with me each walked away feeling differently about this book. But the one thing we do agree on is somewhere at the end it took a turn and it felt a little soap opera-ish. It actually saddens me because I honestly would have 5 starred it. So I say give this book a shot, but if you have “those” triggers stay away! I will definitely be following this author as I am interested to see what she comes up with next.
Profile Image for Kelly Sloane.
93 reviews3 followers
September 3, 2014
AMAZING BOOK!! Best book I have read all year seriously you can't miss out don't want to give to much away but Ale is a hottie and a closet sweetheart and Joey is a strong woman who has been thru he'll can they heal each other or bring each other down?
OMG Jen is a genius! I loved this book!! Ale and Joey are so relatable and great together! This is def one of those books that you can finish in one sitting. I fell in love with this story instantly! It has everything from dramatic events that lead to the heroin being who she is with the reservations she has today to her meeting a guy who just may be able to change all of that, if his own secrets and past pain doesn't destroy it before it even begins! you have to read this book for yourself you can't know the spoilers all I will say is Joey has been through more than one person should ever go through in her life and if any heroine deserves a HEA its her!!
Profile Image for Donna Watts.
13 reviews
August 13, 2014
I was given this book as a gift!!

There is no words for this story! I was amazed the whole way through reading this!!
Josephine's life was going grwat until her eighteen birthday, on a night out with twin sister. One tragedy after another happened and Jo thought her life was worth nothing until she meets Ale who saves her.

I felt sick reading the first part of this story but then my heart really hurt for Jo and was glad that Ale was there to mend her again.
There are a few twists and turns in this story which the author does amazing well getting it to her readers. I was gripped feom page 1....if you love dark erotic storys with twists tgen you must read this authors book...I would recommend this 1000% over!!!
Profile Image for Kandace.
195 reviews21 followers
August 31, 2014
3.5 stars I really liked most parts on this story. The beginning was so heartbreaking. I loved both the MC. I did feel that about 50 more pages in the middle would have taken this story to a completely different level. I felt the story's pace was just a tad too fast. I was let down when we got to the villain. I had to push deep and just go with it.

What I did love about this story was the chemisty between the MC. I loved how a broken girl can heal with the right kind of love and support. His family was fantastic! One look at her and they quickly embraced her. That strong family love was exactly what she needed. I'm so happy after everything she went through that she finally got that family she deserved.
Author 10 books106 followers
August 29, 2014
From the very first word this book had me engaged. Joey overcame things that would have broken me. Her strength and resilience in life is something that I wish I had. Ale, man we all wish we had a man like him. He's tough in all the right places, and soft in all the right places. The emotions this book brought out are a tell of a great author. Jen is an amazing author, this book is probably tying in the number one spot for my favorite book of all time.
Profile Image for Megan Asmus.
230 reviews8 followers
September 2, 2014
WOW WOW....what can I say about this book ???This book that hooked me gutted me from the very beginning I cried my eyes out I laughed..I blurted out a couple of what the f**ks..but I couldn't put his book down so many twist and turns you don't see coming start to finish this book will reel you in! ABSOLUTELY HANDS DOWN one the best books I have read in along time. Beware it will take your on a emotional rollercoaster ride! So get on and take the ride!! ☺
Profile Image for Lisa Omek.
49 reviews5 followers
August 24, 2014
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading Licentious, but as I fell deeper and deeper into the story, I fell in love with it. The development of characters, the angst, it was truly heartbreaking and beautifully told. Bravo Jen on a phenomenal read
Profile Image for Chris Murray.
489 reviews7 followers
August 15, 2014
Wow! What would you do for True Love?

This is truly an excellent book that will play with your emotions. It is a romance that will have you questioning even what you would do for love. The main character Josephine or Joey is a sassy and clever woman who suffers tragic losses among other things. On Joey's 18th birthday her whole life changes for the worse as she leaves a bar...and it doesn't get better.

Then nine years later, we find Joey is living a somewhat normal life. Really? How? She has her two best friends from college, a job and even a social life with lots of alcohol. The closest she gets to a relationship with a man is through random sex with no emotions. Not even remembering it the next day if ever. After ending up losing family those years ago you start to think what is she really doing? Just living life looking through “Rose colored glasses” or did she actually heal?

Then she meets Alessandro and the chemistry is explosive. He is filling his brother’s role in the family business sometimes killing people. Since his brother’s death Alessandro has been in a dark mood. Be prepared for their journey through twists and turns, some which led me to yell out loud and want to throw my kindle. How can this happen? Then there are some absolutely beautiful moments that make you just sigh. Can they help each other once they find the truth about each other’s past? This book is so well written that you feel like the characters. You won’t be able to put it down.
I was given this book as a gift by the Author whom I owe an honest review.
Profile Image for Desire.
34 reviews3 followers
August 27, 2014
Licentious is a gut wrenching, heartbreak, soul stomping ugly cry kind of book. This book will have you balling your fists in anger, rooting for Jo to kick some major arse and praying for a kind of peace that can only be found by picking up every broken shard of ones self and trusting enough to put it all back together. I won't lie and say there weren't moments i found my feet spontaneously kicking the air in a need to reach and fight in an all consuming way that getting locked into a great book will do. This is not a faint of heart book, but it is worth every word on its pages!
Profile Image for Maria Lazarou.
Author 45 books53 followers
August 27, 2014
I received this arc in exchange for an honest review

Oh wow, reading the first part of this book was emotional omg tears are not the word for it.

Tragedies, loss, gain, love all in one book.

This book was really well written, the characters are strong and loveable.

I really enjoyed this book and hope to see more from this author
Profile Image for Christine.
100 reviews
Read
August 31, 2014
DNF...many will probably love this, but it was tough to read in the beginning. After that, it still went downhill for me.
Profile Image for Lori Lovesbooks.
166 reviews41 followers
August 31, 2014
I was really enjoying this one up till around 80% and then the execution just lost me!
Profile Image for Ginger.
28 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2014
WOW!!!! I am not sure where to start. I am not one who writes spoiler reviews so no worries there. I will tell you this book packs quite the punch. It takes you into a world that is intense, heated and down right dirty. My heart broke at times and then some how began to heal while reading. I laughed, I gasped and I even cried. But in the end, I learned that sometimes it may seem like we are irrevocable broken, but with the right combination of love, revenge and self preservation we are just damaged but never fully broken. Trust me when I say, if you like a good, sometimes dark and definitely hot read then you are going to LOVE this one. Can't wait for more from you Jen Cousineau <3
Profile Image for Stephanie Compton.
Author 4 books97 followers
September 4, 2014
This book will tear you apart. If you are wanting a soul sucking, get pissed off then turn around and cry, throw your kindle and cuss type of read. BUY THIS BOOK. Joey will be your best friend and at the same time you will want to kick her in the ass. Ale, well there isn't much I can say about Ale other than HOTT DAMN. I want me an Ale. :) Jen did an awesome job with Licentious!!!!
Profile Image for The Kara B.
145 reviews
August 18, 2014
Holy HELL this was an excellent book! If I could have given this more than 5 stars I would! The writing was extremely descriptive, the plot was a PERFECT mix of romance and mystery, that left you constantly wanting to read more! WOW!
Profile Image for 1-Click Addict Support Group.
3,749 reviews490 followers
September 8, 2014
This is one of most f*cking amazing books I have read so far!!! The story grabs you right from the beginning and won't let you go until the last page!

Eve & Joey are identical twins, best friends till the end, and are getting ready to celebrate their 18th birthday. This one night will be forever engrained on Joey's mind and body. As she learns to live her life, Joey becomes emotionally dead and just tries to survive one day at a time. That is, until Alessandro walks into her life.

Alessandro is a sexy, cocky, confident man who always gets what he wants...typical alpha man! When he lays his eyes on Joey he knows he has to have her – under him, on top of him and any other way that he can get her. Like I said, he's a confident man. Ale can see the sadness in Joey's eyes because he wears the same expression, and now, he is on a mission to find out what Joey is hiding and fixing whatever needs to be fixed.

Ale & Joey can't help but constantly be in each other's paths because Joey is helping Maria, Ale’s sister, get in shape for her upcoming wedding. Joey really tries to not get involved with Ale but he keeps pulling her towards him, making him hard to resist. Ale is keeping secrets from Joey because of his loyalty to his family, but the more he gets to know her and spend time with her, the more he wants to make her a permanent staple in his life. When Joey shares with him what happened to her, Ale makes it a mission to make those who hurt her pay. Once the ball starts rolling, it's non-stop, heart-grabbing action until it gets to the end. And let me just say that I was left with my mouth wide open! I love Ale's family, especially his dad and mom. They accepted Joey right from the start and encouraged Ale to pursue her, because they noticed how she lit the sparkle in his eyes.

Have a fan handy with you because the sex scenes between Ale & Joey are "FRIZZANTE CALDO" (SIZZLING HOT)!!! Some might consider this a dark story and to some extent, it was. But it was also a story of survival, redemption, love, and second chances at life. Alessandro & Joey have become one of my favorite couples and yes, I’m greedy because I want more of their story especially when he becomes "The Boss". Thank you Ms Cousineau for such an amazing book!! ~ Kara, 5 stars
~~~
This book has a dark beginning and won’t be for everyone. That being said, the story that comes from the darkness is one of courage, strength, and growth.

On Joey’s 18th birthday, her life is changed forever. Her dreams are shattered, her world gets turned upside down, and she is uncertain how she will go on. Nine years later, in a bar, she meets a man who will change her life again.

Aléssandro meets eyes with a beautiful woman from across the bar where his family is having a business meeting. After that night spent together, can he help her overcome her past and her demons? Will his past and current job get in the way of them being together?

This is a story of true strength and courage. The ability to overcome your past, even when you don’t know the whole truth, is one that many of us have never had to master. Joey is a person who is so withdrawn from people she will push away anyone who tries to get to close. She only has one real friend who knows her past, and for everyone else she puts on a great show. Her character has an uphill battle throughout the entire book, yet she doesn’t whine or complain about the hand she was dealt.

Aléssandro is the son of a “business man”, and he knows how to do his job. He’s an alpha who gets things done, whether that’s a “clean up”, looking over the books, or helping run the family business. He is a closet sweetheart who finds light in his life again (after losing his brother) in Joey and their relationship. He is the kind of man either you love or hate. There is no in-between. Joey quickly becomes his world as he helps her through her past and over hurdles she never thought she would overcome.

While this book starts out dark, it doesn’t stay that way. Even if it not your typical genre, you should give this one a chance. ~ Devlynn, 4 stars
Profile Image for RelentlessBookChic Ramblings & Reviews .
123 reviews21 followers
October 17, 2014
There is no way that I can give this book anything but 5 incredible stars. Everyone will not love this story but I did. It is a true tale of the Phoenix rising from the ashes. It is a story of healing from a devastation so brutal that you pray to God to take you because in that moment you cannot fathom how you will ever, EVER, be able to recover.

"Please. Please, God take me, too. Don't leave me here....Please take me, too. Please. Please end this nightmare."


Joey has a close family, excluding her witch of a mother, she is close to her twin Eve, her dad and her older brother Aedan. She considers the three of them her best friends in the world. Joey finds solace in music, more specifically writing songs and playing the piano. ON her 18th birthday she decides to take a chance on her dreams little did she know that very night her life would quite literally be ripped apart. While I was reading this it was as if I was there, I couldn't turn away but the whole time I was grabbing my heart that was being ripped open and chanting "no, no, oh God no" in my head. Other times, I would find myself so fucking proud of Joey, she is a fighter and NEVER stopped fighting.

Fast forward 9 years and Joey is a successful physical trainer with her own studio gym. She is going through the motions of life and not really letting anyone in. She finds her release in drunken,unremembered nights with men she doesn't care to know. Until him..Alessandro.

Alessandro is cocky, confident, tattooed and HOT! He is not without his own Demons though and quickly takes an interest in Joey. The meeting between the two of them was quite entertaining and I really loved how the author put that twist in there. One of those "don't judge a book by its cover" lessons. I took an instant liking to Ale, even though he was cocky and arrogant he was sweet and patient. They were both very broken in different ways but seemed to sooth the ache in the other. They seemed to breathe life back into each other.

Ale helped Joey reclaim life, she stopped merely existing and started living again. He gave her a family again and this one with a mother figure who was quick to embrace her or tell her when she was wrong. Joey helped Ale smile again, feel again and she too brought life back to him.

But things can never be that simple can they?

Is Ale really a good guy or is the man she fell in love with a monster? Can Joey ever really move forward or will her past keep haunting her and pulling her back into her old habits? Can the two of them truly heal each other and can Love bring them through the pain?

"Amore regge senza legge. Sequi il tuo euoxe, vivere una vita bella"~ "Love rules without laws. Follow your heart, live your life."


I cannot wait to see what this author does next. I loved this book. It was raw and emotional..devastating and healing.I devoured it in one day. Relentlessbookchic approved and recommended!
Profile Image for Catarina Swartz.
215 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2014
What can I say, every now and then you read a book that just blows your mind and Licentious is just one of those books.

Jo is broken and damages, her 18th birthday her would fell apart and she blames herself. Jo thinks her dreams destroyed her family and for nine years she live with the guilt, noone knows what she has been through, she hasn't told anybody.

Alessandro has secret of his own but when he meet Jo he knows he want her to be his, he has nothing but unconditional love for her.

Their lives in twine throughout the book. Alessandro never gives up on Jo even though she only wants to be friends, she feels she can't have a relationship that she need to be alone. Jo can't talk to him about her past why she can only sleep with someone when she is drunk.

Alessandro hasn't told her about the family business and how one day he would take over has the head of a Mafia family.

Has you read through you will be left feeling the pain Jo endures and frustration on how Alessandro want her to trust him and open up, he want nothing more than to help overcome her past.

The mystery of how Jo's family come to crumble and how she finds out about Alessandro start to take form, how she learns to trust him with every aspect of her past, how his family accept her and how her past comes colliding with the future.

Jen has shown us how unconditional love can concur pain and help heal. How true love can break down walls and no matter what, family, whether they are blood or not can help you find yourself and except who you are.
Like I said this book will stay with me for along time I definitely give 5 stars, it is easy to read and I couldn't put it down.
Profile Image for Chicks Looking For A Book Fix.
182 reviews24 followers
September 23, 2014
Licentious is about two people, Joey and Alessandro that have troubled past that have left them lost and broken in this world.

On Joey's eighteenth birthday she had big plans, plans that would forever change her life in the best way possible, Unfortunately things happened that night that did forever change her life but in the worst way. As time passes Joey isn't the same happy go lucky girl she used to be, she is broken and trapped in the tragedies of her life.

Alessandro isn't living the life he had planned for himself. After his brother was murdered he needed to stay with his family so he gets into the family business. This business isn't your typical family business it's lethal. Alessandro isn't happy, after the death of his brother it changed him, he has been living in the dark ever since.

When Joey and Alessandro's lives collide it's like all their darkness is starting to fade and the light is slowly shining through. That is until secrets get revealed that can tear their new found happiness to pieces.

I thought this was a good read, I started and finished in one day. It's pretty dark a certain points in the story. I felt for Joey, that girl went through so much and her mom, oh I hated that women with a passion. I expected Alessandro to be an arrogant ass but he wasn't, he was passionate, caring, and protective. I really liked how everything played out in the end.
Profile Image for Katrina Alba.
Author 4 books162 followers
September 4, 2014
Another thriller by Jen Cousineau that is suspenseful, very twisted and somehow delightfully sexy at the same time! This is unlike any other book I have ever read and I was enthralled from the very first chapter! This author knows how to reel you in and keep you! I read this book, much like I read ADB, with my mouth hanging open, sitting on the edge of my seat. The characters are so well developed that you can completely empathize with them, which is both a good and a bad thing in this emotional page turner. Joey and Ale are sweet and sassy meets sexy, mysterious alpha male. Both characters certainly have their internal issues, but they seem to be just what each other need. Licentious is a one to two sitting read, simply because you won't be able to put it down!
I'm not going to lie there is definitely some dark to this book and so not everyone may be able to handle it, but I would still recommend it to anyone who is a serious reader. Bravo Ms. Cousineau on another brilliant novel!
Author 18 books167 followers
September 19, 2014
This book ripped my heart out initially so much so that I wanted to stop reading because I couldn't take much more heartache. I contacted the author, and she encouraged me to continue. She was right. My thoroughly broken heart was put back together slowly (because it was broken a few more times before the end). I thought the plot was well executed, and the mystery wasn't exactly predictable. Overall, I liked the story, I liked the characters, and I definitely recommend this book to you if you are a fan of mystery and suspense with a bit of romance and steamy sex scenes!
Profile Image for Jesk Krita.
11 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2014
I fell in love with this book from the first page. I couldn't stop flipping and turning. It had me hooked from the first letter. I sat there blinking at the screen a few times when I was so surprised at what the characters were doing. (I hate doing spoiler reviews so I'm just going to leave out what happened). This book had me in circles and knots so tight I almost exploded a few times.
Profile Image for Shanda Brown.
81 reviews4 followers
September 17, 2014
Wow. I enjoyed this book so much. Didn't think I would be able to finish it but a very good friend told me to hold on and press on and I'm so happy I did....this book blew me away!!! I loved it and I know this book will stick with me.....
Profile Image for Melyssa Winchester.
Author 32 books240 followers
November 24, 2014
description

Title: Licentious
Author: Jen Cousineau
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Rating: 3 Stars ***

Review:

Licentious is a dark, gritty new adult romance that is told from the point of view of Joey (the heroine) and Aléssandro (the hero or anti-hero). It is not an easy read, so for anyone that has issues with rape, suicide and abuse may want to take caution before delving into this one. It is most definitely not for the younger set.

I enjoy books that are told from dual point of views, because you get to see both sides of things and not have to spend much time guessing, so having that here was a plus for me. It also helped overall with helping me understand some motivations that often times when locked in a certain point of view, I didn’t know.

Being inside Joey’s head hurt me on a level I can’t even begin to explain. For a good portion of this book, I felt for her. I understood her. Having lived through something similar to what she faces in the beginning of the book, I could sympathize and at one point I did want to jump through my Kindle and kick those sicko’s asses. I wanted to stop the nightmare that her and her twin were having to face, and what ultimately happened.

Fast forward a bit of time and she faces yet another blow in her life, followed up later by another, leaving her alone in the world. It was truly heartbreaking and it took me a lot of time to read this book because reading through it, feeling and experiencing her pain as if it was my own was agonizing. So my hat is off to the author for writing a character and those events so well that I almost felt as though I was the one breaking.

Enter Aléssandro. I didn’t connect to him the way I did with Joey. It took me a long time. I just didn’t feel him the way I did with her and because of this I had a hard time getting through the story as a whole. I think with him, a lot of it had to do with pacing. He started out as a guy she screwed after getting so drunk she couldn’t remember the events the next morning and then I’m just supposed to believe he cares for and loves her and wants to see her through this dark spot her life has become.

It made their relationship hard to get behind for a while for me. I just didn’t feel it. He eventually did end up breaking through my own defenses and I ended up finding him to be sweet in a lot of instances, but overall they didn’t click for me personally. There was a whole lot of sex and not a whole lot of connection, at least not the way I hoped for and the way I felt someone that had been through the things Joey had been through, deserved.

I absolutely loved the edition of Aléssandro’s family. They came in strong and they were very endearing throughout. Where I couldn’t seem to attach myself to Ale himself, I seemed to have no issue with the family, even the father and uncles. And the women at times were downright hilarious and gave me a much needed break from the heavier aspects.

I’m not sure if it was just me, but something was also left unanswered in this story and it bothered me by the time I finished the book. Why did she never learn about what happened to her business partner? Being slammed with the truth of what he did for a living and getting past it, I actually understood that, it seemed right, especially after talking to his family, but unless I missed a part here, I don’t think what he did to Cam ever came up and it left me feeling oddly empty. Would she have been as forgiving of what he did to him as she was with the job? Cam may have been a means to an end plot wise, and his end was honestly justified to me, but I honestly can’t say the same about Joey and that bugs me.

Now there was one thing I wanted answers to that I got in spades towards the end and I have to admit that I didn’t see it coming. At all. In a lot of stories, you tend to get these bombshells that are predictable but this one wasn’t. It came right out of left field and I liked that. I like being taken off guard and this did that in spades.

I also liked the way it was wrapped up. Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person in my opinion, which I suppose in the end makes me twisted, but as a mom, and a mama bear at that, I was glad they did what they did to the person involved.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, it was just a book that didn’t work as well as I wanted it to for me personally in some aspects, where it did in others. All I can say is, take a chance, what didn’t work for me, may work for you and that’s what makes the reading world go round.
Profile Image for Ashleyjo.
826 reviews522 followers
February 11, 2015
Let me say that the first few pages of this book are very deceptive. This author takes first impressions & bitch slaps her readers.

First impression: At mention of a Coach purse, singing contest, Cinderella, a self-absorbed mama that rains hell on her female kids, and a dad that had to explain periods to his daughters, I really thought this book was headed straight to typical teenage drama - a couple of girls acting rebelliously stupid, getting themselves in trouble with badboys, and paying the consequences of said rebellion with tons of angst and heartbreak.

^ SO NOT THE CASE!

By 14%, readers will no longer look at the two silly girls that started this book the same way.

What happens to them is gut wrenching to say the least - the amount of fight in Joey... what all she losses that horrible night & in the months following...the trickling effect of what her attacker tells her to remember... & her mom's uncaring, purely evil attitude afterward. It's one of those book moments that you feel with every fiber of your being and will remember long after the final page of the book is turned.

"We can do anything... Temporarily." Indeed, Jo, indeed!

One terrible night begins a domino effect in Jo's life that rips everything good in her life away one torturous piece at a time, leaving her to suffer alone, silently, & in the most destructive ways imaginable. Yet, somehow she still holds on to that "survivor grit" long enough to survive the destruction inflicted upon her by both others and herself to find the right 'glue' to help her mend & reconstruct all her broken pieces.

Alessandro, her glue, was an interesting character. He was kind, gentle, and patient with her when she needed to be treated with kid gloves all while also being the brazen force that she needed to push forward from her past traumas and resulting fears. I loved this element of his character, but other parts had me a little hesitant to be so quick to oblige his request to separate him from his job. Yeah, I get the inherent nature of his job and all, but it's kind of hard to just completely separate a person's being from the job they chose.

Complaints:

Now, as much as I admired Jo's story of survival and healing, that's not to say this story wasn't without flaws.

One of my main complaints was the rushed climaxes to major plot points & certain plot points being left unresolved, open-ended in a standalone book!

Al, for example, gets info on his brother's death. He takes this person to torture info out of and gets a vague response before killing the person. Readers can assume that the brother's death was more complicated than an accident, but nothing is ever really explained, solved concerning how, why he died.

I also feel that Al not telling Jo about the above person's death was a bit hypocritical of his whole "never lie" stance. Omissions are lies!

Another example is that we never really find out why Jo was left alive after the attack - in general nor in regards to why her vs Eve. And, aside from a generalized statement, we never find out a thorough 'why' behind the attack itself and the timing (it could've been done at any point... Why then?).

The author constructed a powerful, amazing story here & just sort of dropped the ball when it came time to finish the game. She still made a winner, but it's kind of like winning by a nose vs what could've been won by a mile.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive! That brings me to my next complaint... the author tried to be too clever for her own good with weaving such an interconnected web. It was just all to unfathomable that soooo many connections were present between various characters and Jo's attack, Al's brother's death, two marriages & a stolen song.
Ehhh...Such coincidental, unknown, entanglements might've worked in a small town setting, but not in a major metro setting, and especially not when one family is connected.




Profile Image for Michelle.
130 reviews4 followers
September 9, 2014
Josephine's (Joey) life is turned upside down, starting with the tragic murder of her twin sister. How do you move on when your hopes and dreams are crushed.

Aléssandro (Ale) is forced to go into the family business and give up his dreams of becoming a doctor when his brother is murdered.

Nine years later Joey is doing her best to hide her pain with exercise - she is a personal trainer - and alcohol. While out with friends, she approaches a table of men they consider "thugs" and unexpectedly meets the man that could maybe help her feel alive again. Can their pain heal each other? Will their secrets crush the love they have begun to feel? Can they move beyond it all and get a happily ever after, because according to Ale, not everyone gets a happily ever after.

This was my first book by Jen and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The hurt, pain, hate, and love can be easily felt with her flow of writing. There is mystery, suspense, and some pretty hot sex! And the ending will be quite a surprise!! Everything a great read needs!!
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