Scandalos

Sinners of Saint #3

by L.J. Shen, Cristina Stan (Translator)

EDIE
Nu degeaba i se spune Mutul.
E rece, nemilos si calculat. Si scump la vorba.
Cand deschide gura, cuvintele lui sunt dispretuitoare.
Iar cand mi se adreseaza, pulsul meu o ia la razna.
Are treizeci si trei de ani. Eu am optsprezece.
E un tata singur, iar eu sunt fiica dusmanului sau.
N-ar trebui sa ma simt atat de atrasa de el.
Nu incape indoiala ca Trent Rexroth o sa-mi franga inima.
Si totusi nu pot sta departe de el.
TRENT
Sunt un om ocupat.
Imi cresc singur fata, care la patru ani refuza sa vorbeasca.
Am succes in afaceri.
Nu-mi doresc o iubita.
Nu sunt deloc sociabil.
Dar cand Edie a intrat in viata mea, totul s-a schimbat.
E o tipa rebela, independenta.
Desi tatal ei e putred de bogat, Edie nu vrea sa traiasca in lux.
Fata asta ascunde ceva, iar eu nu-mi doresc decat sa-i aflu secretul.
Insa in acelasi timp trebuie sa-mi stapanesc atractia fata de ea.
Altfel, consecintele pot fi devastatoare.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Dark Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Forbidden Love

368 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2017

About the author

L.J. Shen is a New York Times, USA Today, WSJ, Washington Post and #1 Amazon Kindle Store bestselling author of contemporary romance books.

She writes angsty books, unredeemable anti-heroes who are in Bill Gates's tax bracket, and sassy heroines who bring them to their knees (for more reasons than one).


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Website ➜ www.authorljshen.com

Reviews

[TJ *Book Twins Reviews* · Rating 5 out of 5]

How the hell does she do it?? Every single time. Every single book. They keep getting better and better!!



Scandalous is complex, emotionally riveting, and an intricately plotted work of art. It's thought-provoking and guaranteed to steal your heart. I was in tears at the end. #BestEpilogueAward. I always expect the unexpected with the Hotholes and Trent did not disappoint.

"Oh, God. He was such a sociopath. And I was in so much trouble."



It was a completely different experience. My reaction was more visceral and cerebral. Days later and I'm still thinking about the story---still thinking about the sacrifices these characters were willing to make for those they love. It's LJ's best writing to date. She had me all up in my feelings!

"I always enjoyed the broken in the fairy tales better. The apple always looked shinier because I knew it could destroy me."

What stands out most in this installment of the series, are the main characters. They're all broken. They yearn for something and those yearnings became my own. Any reader can relate to wanting the things they desire. Another standout were the relationships between various characters. They're all unconventional… perfectly imperfect. Folks, this isn't a cookie cutter, everyone is perfect, let's go skipping through a field of daisies type of romance. It's like real life... messy, unfiltered, and beautiful. The characters aren't average or typically and neither is their love. I don’t comment on the age or race difference because the relationship is as it should be, in my opinion. Love doesn’t discriminate.

"And I will never love anyone else the way I do you, because it's not about my age. It's about my heart."



Now for the shocker...Evie is my favorite main character. I can identify with Trent-- his experiences, past, love for his family, pretty much everything (except being a dude)! However, Evie stole my heart. She's strong and resilient, mature beyond her years, and determined woman. Loved her!

So, to sum up this long ass rambling review...I really enjoyed Scandalous and highly recommend it to everyone. It’s a page-turner that is guaranteed to entertain fans of the series and new readers alike. Another 5* read from L.J. Shen. Highly Recommended!!





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[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2! Scandalous (stand-alone) May-December contemptuous office flirtation between the boss & his intern set on sabotaging!

“The ocean is her drug. She is mine.”

Books in Sinner of Saint series are stand-alones:
Book 0.5: Defy
Book 1: Vicious
Book 2: Ruckus
Book 3: Scandalous
Book 4: Bane

Scandalous (stand-alone) opens up to a heated confrontation between mogul Trent Rexroth aka The Mute and high school senior Edie Van Der Zee. Though they are off to a rocky start, Trent has something Edie’s father wants enough to blackmail his own daughter into helping him. While Edie pushes Trent’s buttons, infiltrates, pries and steals they must both fight an intense attraction.

The contempt Trent feels towards his new intern is mitigated only by the way Edie handles his mute daughter, Luna. Their lust-filled feud soon escalates into a forbidden affair and beyond only to unravel into a race against time for secrets and truths that threatens everything they have come to hold dear.

“I’m sorry sweetheart. I don’t do children.”

Nine words to describe Trent Rexroth: Laid-back, reflective, private, reckless, brooding, loyal, forgiving, patient and complex.



Eight words to describe Edie Van Der Zee: Loyal, lonely, desperate, observant, resilient, snarky, fierce and captivating.

Scandalous, told from dual POVs, is explosive and forbidden May-December office affair between two lonely souls caught in a quest for vengeance.

Suspenseful! Endearing! Scandalous!

“What a fucking way to break my rules, with a girl who was both at my mercy and tasted of betrayal.”

***
Hero: ★★★★
Heroine: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★
Storytelling: ★★★★★
Sexual tension: ★★★★★
Sex scenes: ★★★★1/2
Story ending: ★★★★
******************************************
OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Angst: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Darkness: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Humor: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Kink: | LOW FOCUS |
Romance: | HIGH FOCUS |
Sex frequency: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Suspense: | HIGH FOCUS |

Thank you to Liz for our ARC(F)BR!

ARC provided to me by author L.J. Shen in exchange for an honest review.

[Corina]

OMG this book was RAW and EMOTIONAL and gutted me!!! I was falling fast and deep for Trent - and he might just be my newest obsession.

But besides having one gorgeous hunk of a man, SCANDALOUS really lived up to its name!!

It was SCANDALOUS, TANTALIZING and PANTY DROPPING HOT, in the most exhilarating way. I was so not prepared for Trent and Edie. There was no way I could have imagined how explosive this couple would be. From the very first moment they met the world stopped existing, faded away to leave Trent and Edie on an emotional and life altering roller coster ride.

I must say Trent was an amazing and deeply enigmatic character. He was the quiet but dangerous sort of hero. The way he manipulated everyone around him was incredibly appealing. The quiet personalities often turn out to be the most interesting of all characters. And Trent was a perfect example. He had me glued to the pages. I was fascinated by every step he took, every word he spoke, and his thought process made me all hot and bothered - he was delectable.

He checked all of my jerk boxes. Crude, straighforward, blunt, uncompromisingly himself. His barely checked attitude towards everyone that wasn't his daughter or the rest of the HotHoles had me salivating for more. I'm so strange. :D

I adored how he slowly revealed parts of himself. On random occasions he threw bits and pieces at Edie, almost like a plea to not give up on him. And every single time Edie turned into a gooey mess. Me too!!!!

Trent was FANFLIPPINGTASTIC!!!

Now, Edie was a touch cookie herself. I was impressed and amazed by her determination and loyalty. Her situation broke my heart, but her steely resolve and willpower made her a fierce character and a perfect partner for Trent. She was as broken and flawed as Trent. But even though Edie was much younger, she was his equal in many ways. Because when it came down to just Trent and Edie, she matched him in every way that counted. Her ferocious loyalty and fierce protective sense, her passionate and sexual appetite, her no-nonsense and take-no-shit attitude all struck a chord with Trent. Two broken souls finding their match. It was a love-story of scandalous proportions.

Leigh Shen gave Trent the PERFECT woman to fall in love with. No other women could have touched his heart and awoken such fundamentally changing feelings in him. It seems like he was waiting for Edie his entire life. From the very first moment they met, he felt that he would never be the same again. And in a strange way he accepted it - and that was one of the things I LOVED the most about him.

I could go on and on about this book.

I'll end this review by saying that this book ROCKED my world. I never thought that Leigh could top VICIOUS but SCANDALOUS was as fascinating as it was emotionally gripping. It was a MASTERPIECE!!!

[Bibi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I suspect Amazon whisper synced a different book to my Kindle otherwise this book sure as hell doesn't even come close to being a 2 star, much less one deserving of the array of glowing 5 stars.

Just putting that out there.

Although the gang of sinners are supposedly successful businessmen in their 30s they, however, inevitably come across as petulant and at times just plain stupid with no distinguishable character growth or maturity. I find the whole lot of them crass and insufferable and it's time I said goodbye to this series.

What on earth happened to the LJ Shen who gave us Sparrow?

FYI: Trent has sex with other women. Explicit sex. 😤😤

[Dilek VT · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointment :(((

I really cannot believe that Ms Shen started the series with something so unique as VICIOUS and then continued with mediocre books afterwards.

* I didn’t love Book 2, which is Rosie & Dean’s story as I didn’t approve their relationship at all.

* I also felt disturbed about the way Mel & Jamie’s story started (Book 0,5) – not the age difference, not the teacher/student thing but how it started.

* Now, I disliked Book 3 even more, disapproving Edie and Trent’s relationship, as well. This book is now my least favorite of all.

And I regret to say that Sinners of Saint Series is no more one of my favorite series. However, VICIOUS is one my all times favorite books on its own and this won't ever change.

Book 3. SCANDALOUS

Trent is a single dad with a 4-year-old daughter. He is 33 years old. The mother of his child was a stripper. He had sex with her without using a condom under the influence of drugs at the age of 28 (Yes at the age of 28, not 18 when he was young and naïve, but at an age he was supposed to be a responsible adult. This only tells me he isn’t a person I would like.)

Trent looks after his daughter alone as the mother left them when the child was one-year old. His daughter Luna knows how to speak but she chooses not to speak AT ALL! That is why he is taking her to a therapist regularly.

He has never dated or never had a girlfriend before. He explains that is because his parents had a special kind of love and he never felt it with anyone. Now, he is having sex with her child’s therapist on the one side and with the private investigator he hired to find his daughter’s mother on the other side. Casual, non-exclusive hook-ups…

Edie Van der Zee is the 18-year-old daughter of the partner in the firm HotHoles own. When Trent sees her, he is physically drawn to her although he knows she is nearly half his age and a teenager.

Here are the thoughts of Trent when he watches Edie in her shorts:

She looked so much like a kid, I wanted to punch myself in the balls for imagining her writhing under me while I’d pounded into Amanda the other night.

Edie’s legs were still curveless, two straight toothpicks. Not very different from Luna’s.
...
She was young. So, goddamn young.
Her body was straddling the rope between ripe and juvenile. It still hadn’t reached its full potential and gotten all its defined curves.

Thinking of her in this way and then comparing her to his 4-year-old daughter Luna was disturbing for me and a book that started on such a perv side had little chance to win me over later and it did not! Not at all...

Their affair was so not my cuppa!

I didn't feel the thing between them, as there were no feelings talked about. I couldn't connect to these characters at all.

Edie is in high school, not even going to college. If she were 21 and he 33, I would have felt better about their relationship. And what started and developed between Trent and Edie was purely physical. If they had love - even insta-love, or some deep feelings for each other or a bonding on some deeper level, I might have overcome that big age gap between them but the way it was presented was not the way I could embrace it.



The writer tries to draw a different picture of a teenager with the character of Edie so that we can accept her relationship with Trent. Edie has casual sex with a guy and likes it hard (she is no vanilla type). I believe the writer did that so that we would feel more OK with the purely physical, rough and hardcore affair between Edie and Trent later.

Here is what Trent thinks and says when he finds Edie in a reservoir with her boyfriend and gets pissed.

The notion that I could slam her against my hood and f*ck her from behind was too much. Or maybe I could spread her and eat her out before I f*cked her in the middle of the reservoir. She would let me, and that was the worst thing about our situation. Edie would let me do that to her, and not because she was a naïve girl with daddy issues. But because she’d come here to f*ck, and I was a willing body to her. Nothing less, nothing more.

He acts in a weirdly jealous way and forbids her to have sex with anyone. He is not promising anything, not offering or starting anything… Just forbidding her to have sex with another person.

And the next day, when she says she didn’t listen to him and had sex with her (casual) boyfriend, his punishment is f*cking a woman in front of her in his office while she is watching. She gets jealous of the woman but still watches the scene.

Well knowing is something but seeing is something else. I could never wipe that memory out of my mind.

I wanted to move. Knew that I needed to, fast. But I was overwhelmed by everything—my being caught, them being caught, and the realization that I was about to catch on fire with jealousy. I was glued to my spot, unable to tear my eyes away from the scene in front of me. I didn’t have to make myself known. I was standing right in front of them, choking the doorknob with my grip, mouth comically agape. My heart parachuted, making my stomach roll in both agony and thrill.

Trent’s eyes locked onto mine, his hips rolling forward as he showed me how he fu*cked. Thrusting, moving, demanding. He twisted the tresses of her burgundy hair between his strong, long fingers. And he watched me. Watched as if it was me bending for him, taking him in. I returned his gaze.
“Van Der Zee, you’re here just in time for the eight o’clock show.”

I don’t have much to say about this book other than that it wasn’t my cuppa.

I disliked how they started their affair, I didn’t like that the second time they had sex, he wanted to try anal and they did. And I also disliked the way he talked to her, calling her "kid" or "child" one moment and then, saying he wanted to do grown-up things with her another moment… I also didn't like the pain-pleasure thing their intimate scenes included.

In fact, there isn’t anything I liked in this book other than the scenes where Vicious appeared and did the talking… his epic talking… I love that jerk no matter what :)))

This book also has a very slow pacing and it is kind of boring with a lot of family drama on both sides. It is dragging.

It is told by dual point of view, so we read the thoughts of both sides, Edie & Trent.

By the way, I don’t know why the title of the book is Scandalous. Only they call their affair scandalous themselves but it causes no scandal in town :)

Sooooo… Everyone is sharing their favorite quotes from the book, but since there is no quotation I can put here as my favorite, I will unfortunately do the opposite and share a few more that I disliked… Here we go!

“I’m going to jerk off until my dick falls off. With you in my mind, on my fingers, and my lips, Edie. Teenager or not, you’re about to do a lot of grown-up stuff with me.”

***

Did I have feelings toward her? I didn’t think so. But I liked having her around. Liked how she put a smile on my daughter’s face. How her f*ckable ass and lean surfer’s body felt against mine. How she responded to my touch the same way you respond to your first kiss. With uncontained rawness.

She was clay. I could do whatever the f*ck I wanted with her. And I wanted to do everything. Down to the last, sordid fantasy that sat dormant in my head.

***

“I want to hurt you,” I said, because that’s what I always said, because that’s what I always felt. But I didn’t feel it now. I was on autopilot. Like people say they’re hungry at noon sharp just to get the fuck out of the office and take their lunch break.
“Then do,” she moaned into the pillow, completely pliable, and she fucking came, clutching my dick and shuddering like she was having a seizure. “Hurt me, Trent. I love your wrath on my skin.”

***

“Next time you make a joke about someone else fucking you, just remember I own every single hole in your body, including the one I’ll leave in your heart when I’m done.”

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars



Scandalous is the third book in Shen’s Sinners of Saint series and can be read as a stand-alone, though I would recommend reading the first few books before this! You don’t want to miss out on the greatness of Vicious and Dean’s books!

I wanted what was forbidden, and wrong, and fucking crazy. I wanted my partner’s daughter, who was nearly half my age.


Lovers of forbidden romance… this is the book in the series for you! Not only were these two ‘forbidden’ because Trent and Evie’s dad are business partners, but Evie is half of Trent’s age and only just legal. What I loved about this book is that both of the main characters were broken. Both of them had a lot to lose by being together, and both of them were fighting for something bigger than themselves.

“When it’s all over, when all that’s left of us is sweaty flesh and shattered minds and torn hearts, you will remember me as the man who made you cry, and I’ll remember you as the girl I had to break to stay afloat.”

Trent was not the typical hothole. He’s more quiet and broody. He’s called the mute for a reason, but Evie brings out a different side of him. Evie is young, but she’s grown up in a way that has made her older than her years. She wasn’t immature or too young for Trent personality wise, so the age-gap didn’t bother me one bit.

This has been an addictive series, and this book was no exception. Trent’s book was different than I expected, but one thing that was consistent was the fact that it was captivating, sexy, and had a lot of feeling. I loved that Trent was a single dad. It was an original story-line. Dean’s book (Rukus) is still my favorite, but this was a great addition to the series!

The ocean is her drug. She is mine.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

The ocean is her drug. She is mine.”

The Sinners of Saint is my crack, and LJ Shen, my dealer. The woman writes some of the most addicting and sizzling enemies to lovers romances I've ever read. Trent Rexroth has always seemed like the most tame of the HotHoles, when compared to Vicious's vicious streak and Dean's shenanigans. If you think Trent was the nice one of the bunch, think again. You know what they say about those quiet ones, don't you?

A dark, deprived animal lived inside me. Whenever I let it out—and I always let it out in bed—it bloomed. Freedom gave the savage inside me a good buzz, which was why I sometimes got a little carried away.

The only female to hold Trent's heart is his adorable daughter. After the baby mama up and disappeared on them both, he's been doing his best to keep his head above water with the whole parenting thing. Having a daughter that won't utter a word or so much as smile at him certainly doesn't help matters.

But when it comes to matters of the heart? Well, Trent doesn't believe in all that jazz. A rough, dirty screw is all he has to offer, and he makes no qualms about it. He doesn't promise hearts and flowers and he never will.

Enter Edie Van Der Zee. His new partner's daughter, and eighteen year old pain in his ass. An entitled, spoiled little rich girl that bends to every single one of her daddy's commands. Or so he thinks. But not all is at it seems with Edie. She's drowning in her own world, barely keeping her head above water, stuck between a needy and helpless mother and a vicious, power hungry father.

I’d finally found him. The one man scarier than my father. Not that I was looking. Because while Vicious made a lot of noise, Trent Rexroth was the silent hunter who would circle you for hours, striking when you least expected it.

Trent and Edie play a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Barbs and insults being their flirting and antagonization being their foreplay. I have mad respect for LJ for keeping true to her characters with this book. Trent is no knight in shining armor. The man is so far from perfect and he certainly puts Edie through hell.

Whatever we were, we were toxic. A lullaby on a thoroughly scratched record that keeps hiccupping again and again on the line that you hate. This can’t happen. This can’t happen. This won’t happen.

Not only is a relationship forbidden, Edie's father has sets his sights on Trent and is determined to push him out of the company. Falling for his daughter can cost Trent everything. But this is a man that likes playing with fire.

I wanted what was forbidden, and wrong, and fucking crazy. I wanted my partner’s daughter, who was nearly half my age.

If you're looking for a sweet and emotional romance, you've picked up the wrong book, my friend. When I say Trent and Edie are absolutely toxic for each other, I mean it. But they also burn up the pages together. Their connection is palpable and the sexual chemistry between them, undeniable.

Trent makes his share of decisions that I wanted to hate him for. But they made sense for the man that he was in the beginning, so I begrudgingly forgave him.

You’re my Delilah, Edie, and I’m your Samson. You want to ruin me, destroy me, strip me of my power, and betray me. I should stay away from you, but I want you too fucking much. And when it’s all over, when all that’s left of us is sweaty flesh and shattered minds and torn hearts, you will remember me as the man who made you cry, and I’ll remember you as the girl I had to break to stay afloat.”

Scandalous was a delicious, sizzling and angst filled ride from beginning to finish. This series just can't seem to disappoint and you'll never find this reader complaining.

Admittedly, I had a little bit of a tough time getting fully on board with Trent and Edie at first. There was just something missing that made me completely connect to them as a couple, which kept this being a full 5 stars for me. But they totally won me over in the second half and I ended up absolutely loving them.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I am an unapologetic cover whore. Always have been. Always will be. I picked up Sparrow by L.J. Shen last year because of that fact, and after I finished reading it, I’d never been so thankful for my whorish ways! From the moment I delved into that book, I knew I had found something special…someone special. Alphas and assholes are my favorite kinds of heroes, and it was obvious to me that I had met their master. Making a true asshole hero that you can fall in love with can’t be an easy feat, but Leigh does it every. single. time. Scandalous was no different!



Trent Rexroth, a.k.a. The Mute, loves his daughter Luna more than life itself, and that’s why it kills him that he can’t reach her. He doesn’t grace many people with his words, but he freely gives them all to her and never receives any in return. Being deprived of the kind of father/daughter communication most people take for granted guts him completely.

Edie Van Der Zee lives in a mansion, but her life is anything but luxurious. She spends her days taking care of her mentally ill mother and trying to collect as much money as she can in any way possible. She needs money desperately despite her insanely rich parents, because at the age of 18, she is helping to take care of someone else, and that someone else is not living in her home and is at the mercy of her father’s whims.

Edie’s father, Jordan Van De Zee, is a cruel man that is anything but a good husband and father. He barely acknowledges Edie unless he wants something, and she should have known he wanted something when he forced her to come work for him. Using the only leverage he has over her that would make her do absolutely anything, he drops the bomb on Edie that he expects her to steal from Trent for him.

To say that Trent Rexroth and Jordan Van Der Zee don’t get along would be an understatement, so when Jordan brings Edie to work and demands that she be allowed a job, Trent’s first reaction is to fight him on it…that is until he sees her with Luna. Because Trent spends a huge chunk of his time at the office, Luna’s therapist suggested that he take her to work with him sometimes. Edie happens to run into her and her nanny in the breakroom which is where he sees the thing that changes his mind about Edie’s employment completely. Somehow she manages to have Luna smiling and engaging in a way that he only dreamed of. He knows right then and there that he can’t let her go.

Something else draws Trent to Edie though, and it drives him crazy. They don’t get along in any way. Every verbal exchange they have becomes a sparring match, but underneath it all is a burning desire that neither of them can extinguish. In fact, over time it becomes increasingly apparent that they will inevitably combust.



Scandalous is well written, sexy, heartbreaking and heartwarming. It’s a book that I wanted to go on forever, because aside from how phenomenal of a story it is, the reality that Trent was the last hothole I would read about broke my heart. This series will go down as one of my favorites of all time. I adore it, and it solidified L. J. Shen’s spot in my heart forever. It is no secret that she has become my favorite author. I fangirl for her like a teenager over their favorite boy band, and I will never be ashamed of it. Amazing talent like hers is rare, and the fact that it comes in the form of an equally amazing human being is the icing on the cake.

There were two little words in this book that caused tears to unexpectedly burst from eyes, and once you read it maybe you will know what I’m talking about. Of course, there is a chance you won’t, but I can guarantee you that you WILL be touched by something. This is a book about people that have never had an easy time in this world, but they survive and they thrive, and it’s an incredibly beautiful thing to witness. If you haven’t read this one yet, drop everything else you’re doing and one-click it now! If you haven’t started this series yet, rectify that immediately! The Sinners of Saint series is one that no romance fan should miss!

[Hulya Kara Yuksel · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I literally devoured this book and read it in 1 day! IT.WAS.SO.FUCKING.GOOD!!! 😍😍😍

Ps. I was supposed to BR this book with my gorgeous friend Elfina but honey, pls forgive me. Because when I start to read this book, I just couldn't stop myself. Sorry! Ugh I'm really suck at this BR thing. 😏

You can read her awesome and soooo sexy review in here...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


"I'm so fucking in love with you, Edie Van Der Zee, i don't know where I end and where you begin anymore. I love you despite knowing it's crazy...
I love you even though we're not at the same place in life, have nothing in common, and started off so fucking bad. And still, I love you."

[Vi Keeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Beautiful writing, gritty characters, and sexual tension that jumped from the page. I'm a sucker for a hard-ass hero with a tender side.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do I write up a review that does justice to this book? Answer is, I can't!!

‘SCANDALOUS:’ is the third book within the ‘Sinner of Saint’ series by L.J. Shen. Spoken in ‘Dual Perspectives’ Edie is eighteen, Trent is thirty-three. Their story is not perfect.

The first time Trent had noticed Edie Van Der Zee was at a barbecue celebrating Dean’s son’s birthday, the second time he’d laid eyes on her was when he caught her doing a five fingered discount at the promenade where the rich frequented, now she’s right under his nose working at Fiscal Heights Holdings.

Edie was lost and floundering through life though she had been accepted to five universities out of state, but nothing in this world would make her attend, one obvious reason is her surfing, it fed her soul and gave her the oxygen to breathe, but the main reason was that the only person she truly cared about was right here in California and nothing could make her move away. Now her father has told her she has to come and work in his company.

There is no love lost between Edie and her father, a ruthless, heartless man that isn’t beyond manipulating Edie to do his dirty work, with a high cost to her if she doesn’t pull through.

Where Edie is concerned things don’t add up, but only someone with an eye for detail when it came to struggling to make ends meet would see all the signs, and Trent sees all those signs in colour. And he’s going to get to the bottom of it.

Trent Rexroth was the silent hunter who would circle you for hours, striking when you least expected it, A desolate panther, wild, quiet and slick.



Trent Rexroth is a hard, cold and calculated man raising his daughter Luna single handedly, they call him the mute for a reason, he barely spoke, a self made rich man rising up from the gutter to make a name for himself in Todos Santos, he worked hard for what he had and nothing and nobody was going to get in his way.

Life was not a game of chess. Life was fucking Jenga. You tried winging through it, hoping it wouldn’t fall down in spectacular fashion and bury you.

This book took me brutally captive and did not let me go, it threw everything that I could've hoped for, and more, the angst, the emotional rollercoaster of a clusterfuck ride was had, god the feels they just kept coming and coming, they never stopped, this series, this author, just gets better and better!!

You can't compare this series to anything else, you can't compare the characters stories to any other, this author is beyond talented!! Everything I love, I crave, I seek, I need, I want all boxes were ticked!! Trent is beyond my favourite, the silent mute that had so much to say.

This book was the best of the best!! I don't think L.J. Shen could've found a better character to match Trent, Edie was his equal in every way where it mattered, she challenged him where he needed to be challenged. She was perfectly imperfect for him.

I don't kiss. I fucking hate it. I don't do relationships. One last warning. I fuck rough. Deepthroating is a requirement, not an option

Trent made me swoon like a teenager, beyond alpha, a dirty sexual man who had the woman he bedded begging for mercy. But only one was his match, Edie, the teenager that looked like a goddess but had the sting of a bee, these two were heartless in their pursuit of the most tantalizing sexual chemistry between the sheets.

If you want to be strong - be

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Live Early!!
Amazon:http://amzn.to/2fgqxqX



“I should stay away from you, but I want you too fucking much. And when it’s all over, when all that’s left of us is sweaty flesh, and shattered minds and torn hearts, you will remember me as the man who made you cry, and I’ll remember you as the girl I had to break to stay afloat”.



I’ve always known of the saying “Save the best for last” and up until this very moment, I can honestly say without a doubt that this author did this quote justice. She didn’t just save it and gave us what we were praying for because we wanted this story wrapped up in a little nice bow. No, she stole our breaths with her words, and made us an addict with constantly falling in love with these broken ass hole heroes. And at the end of the day whether we want to admit to ourselves, we love a tortured hero but not just any. We love a HOT HOLE tortured hero and Trent Rexroth, was no exception.



Known for being the silent one, Trent Rexroth is a man who doesn’t need to say anything to get what he wants because he always does. Money, cars, women at his disposable, he has it all and he knows it. But life wasn’t always that way for him and knowing that he’s worked hard to get to there, only makes it that much sweeter. Caring for his four year old daughter who doesn’t speak is his number one priority and nothing and no one is going to take that away from. But when you’re the king of your castle and you think that you have everything on lock, a stranger will sneak in to your kingdom and give you the reality check of your life and for Trent, that reality came in the form of a blue eyed blonde who is about to set his world a blaze.

“You make me feel wild. Fearless. Like I’m someone. Someone strong”.



Edie Van Der Zee has done a lot of things in her short eighteen years of life but nothing could compare to coming face to face with the infamous Trent Rexroth. Wise beyond her age but with enough baggage to alert the TSA, Edie encounters her most challenging task of all. Trent is not only going to be her enemy in the making, but he’s also her endgame and when those two enter the room, sh*t is going to get burned down! Who will be left standing when chaos and betrayal becomes a work of art in their world?



I loved that this story wasn’t just about Edie and Trent’s relationship. This was about a father doing everything in his power to be there for his daughter and making her happy. This story was about a son who rose from having nothing in his childhood, to becoming a man who had Everything. This was a story about a brotherhood that span over the years and now became a united family. Every single one of these characters made an impact in this story and even though some voices were louder, we still heard them and we listened.


It’s going to be hard saying goodbye to these guys and as I sit here and write this review with tears in my eyes, I know that it was worth it. From getting to know Jamie with his laid back personality and defying the odds with his one true love, to Vicious and his unapologetic words, Dean “Ruckus” who made the most noise and certainly shook things up, to the final man of the hour. Trent was Scandalous in his own right and I loved that everything came full circle for him. I have the biggest smile on my face and for that I’m grateful.

We will NEVER forget these characters no matter how hard we try and that’s a bitter sweet feeling. They made us laugh with their indecency, cry with their stupidity, and swoon when we realized they were falling in love for the very first time. Four men shook up these pages in the literary world when we didn’t expect it and those same four men,became our EVERYTHING.

Whether you were looking for an escape by just reading the first book or immediately fell in love three stories later, this author made an impact on us and she showed us that it was ok to fall in love with someone unconventional, it was ok to be a strong heroine but have a soft side as well, and it was ok to love a hot hole. And indeed we did….


   

[Sophia Triad · Rating 4 out of 5]

His breath skated on my neck, hot and wanting and deliriously fresh. “The monster wants to play.”
“And I’m not scared of the dark,” I retorted. “So what are we waiting for?”
“Frankly, for you to be legal,” he deadpanned.
“I turned eighteen in January.”
Pause.

It’s bit a while since I read this book, so I will try to just state the basic facts, i.e. the things I didn’t like, the things I liked and the things that did not really bother me:

First of all the story
-Cruel father who does not approve the man that his daughter wants.
-The daughter wants the man who she is not supposed to want.
-Irresponsible mothers..
-A kid who needs a family
-A few misunderstandings.
-A few secrets.
-The main male character resists in the beginning and he dives in full force later.
-The main female character -although she is interested -behaves a bit like a brat. She does not really try too hard to seduce her man. He is already ready.
-The two lovers have to fight society in the end – again not really hard since his friends don’t really care with whom he is sleeping with and her friends and her mother don’t give a damn with whom she is sleeping with.
So in the end the main difficulty is the situation with her father. AND NOTHING ELSE.

What I did not like
1. The book title. I did not find any situation in the book “scandalous”. Two consensual adults are having sex. So, what?
2. The book cover. The male model is good enough to eat. The cigarette looks totally fake.
3. I did not understand Edie’s father’s fixation with Trent . I did not find the fact that he is a racist a good enough reason for his obsession. When later towards the end of the book we learn the real reason, for me it was not really believable.
4. Trent in general. I think he tries too hard to be an asshole and after a while he gets into my nerves. I was wondering what else he would do to prove that he is an asshole besides badmouthing and randomly f@cking because he does not want to get attached.
5. The behavior of the women of Hot Holes. Basically they behave like good old housewives. They are responsible for the children, they are the ones that organize barbeques, they take the children for ice-cream WHILE all the macho men go to the office to arrange multimillion deals or go for weight training.
6. I got bored while I was reading. Besides the mystery of who is Theo and where is Edie is going every Saturday, everything else is predictable.

What I liked
1. Luna. The four-year-old daughter of Trent steals the show. This little girl is a sweetheart.
2. The men, the Hot Holes of Todos Santos. They are portrayed excellently. They behave exactly how I would imagine they would behave.
3. Bane. Edie’s best friend and ex-boyfriend. I think there could be a good story with him as a main character.
4. The writing style of the author. I was drawn to the story. Even during the moments I did not like what I was reading, I still did not skim through pages. On the contrary I read everything patiently and with focus.

What it did not bother me AT ALL
I didn’t mind the age difference. Edie is mature enough for her age. I have met 30 years old women who behave more childishly than her.
As a matter of fact I think that Trend behaves more immaturely than her.

After careful consideration, I think I will give 4 stars to the book. Not as good as Vicious and Defy, but still much better than Ruckus.

[Shabby -BookBistroBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another Alpha HotHole to scream over is here !! Trent Rexroth is coming and wait for it .....he's a master of baddassery and assholery.
The Mute . He rarely talks and when he does, he spews disdain and contempt.
He works hard and FHH is better for him . A loyal and trusted friend to Vicious, Dean & Jamie.
And then he meets Edie Van Der Zee, daughter of a sworn enemy / partner -Jordan Van Der Zee. They are virtually at logger heads and Edie became s a pawn in their vile games.

Jordan owned half of downtown Todos Santos— the other half belonging to Baron Spencer— and had recently announced he was considering running for mayor.

She's 18, impressionable and committed to her family. Her tiny shoulders carrying excess burden of her mother, Theo, Luna and all the time trying to find her passion, her place in the world . A beautiful tiny soul struggling in the volatile tides of this cruel ocean, that is her life. Her first love is surfing and riding the waves, ocean calls to her and she finds peace in unruly waves and angry tides.


"You’re trying to hold the entire universe on your shoulders and sprint with it to the nearest safe haven. You can’t. It’s too heavy. You’ll collapse. Ever tried to see what’ll happen if you let go?”

Leigh has written Trent with love and big heart , he's an asshole but not a monster. He's Ruthless, Cold , but full of heart.
Thrust with the excess baggage himself and learning to cope with it, he funds a kindred soul in Edie . But the gaping age chasm makes it uncomfortable and conflicting, yet the magnetic pull is formidable and very powerfull

I gravitated toward him like he was the sun. A beautiful pleasure conceived by nature that could very well kill you if you got too close. He looked at me like I was the moon. Pale and lonely and so far away.

The fact that Trent is aware of the conspiracies surrounding him and the threat of looming war on the horizon, he still is helpless against his heart. The irony isn't lost on him at all. But if you think he'll quietly roll over and die, you've underestimated the HotHole. Hes just getting warmed up !!!

You’re my Delilah, Edie, and I’m your Samson. You want to ruin me, destroy me, strip me of my power, and betray me. I should stay away from you, but I want you too fucking much. And when it’s all over, when all that’s left of us is sweaty flesh and shattered minds and torn hearts, you will remember me as the man who made you cry, and I’ll remember you as the girl I had to break to stay afloat.”

I need to mention here that Bane plays a very safe place for her to decompress at some very stress full times in Edie's life, I wish there was more of that equation. When he says - I Told you so , it damn near brought me to tears !!
I loved that MY vicious revisits. Maybe he was looking for me !!
I loved their brotherhood, their loyalty
I loved the poor overburdened Edie and the conflicted Herat of Trent , trying to make sense if it all
He's a sexy brooding alpha from the Sexy brain of Leigh . She seems to have copyrighted the Sexy as sin and savage as Vikings alpha heroes, who steal our hearts and set our collective panties on fire.

Here the seahorses kissed the tide !!!
4.5 Luna-tic stars
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[Tianna✸loves books✸ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is f****** UNSAFE.
The Hero is a disgusting man, father of a 4 year old girl. He fucks the therapist of his daughter. He fucks the lady private investigator appointed by him. Basically he fucks anyone. I'm sure if his daughters nanny was not old he would have fucked her too. 😖.
The heroine.....she is just another teenage hormonal brat. Her father is not a good person. But still she is nothing good.
This is just a disgusting mess. Full of dirty shitty people.

P.S. And yes the daughter was from one of his horny escapade with a stripper😖. Just too much🤢🤢🤢

[Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 "if you want to be strong-be" stars

*palpitations...palpitations*

*drum roll, please*

For me, this is the best sequel out of the previous two in the Sinners of Saint series

I had a hunch about Trent Rexroth from glimpses in Vicious, Defy & Ruckus and I can back that up now...the story was a turmoil by itself, yet the characters were the ones who lifted it onto another, higher level of existence...



What transpires here, is the story of love that striked unexpectedly, with bad timing, against all possible odds and obstacles ...

and yet Trent and Edie, two unlikely lovers, in an utterly, painfully forbidden and totally off limits tantalizing game of push and pull, trust/mistrust, loyalty/fate, temptation/desire and passion, lingering somewhere on a treshholds of being in the "now" and trying to outsmart the crippling clutches of the "past", so they could have a "future"

Trent Rexroth, a 33 year old member of a so known group of Todos Santos millionaires the infamous foursome HotHoles (Vicious, Jamie & Dean) jointly run their business empire alongside with Jordan Van Der Zee, a merciless, hard businessman that bought 49% shares from them...there's more than just hostility between Trent & Jordan, it's hate, it's deeper than the pure animosity but Trent can't pin point where this crippling feeling is coming from, nor what started it BUT he's very much determined for it to end...

There's so much on his plate already, a 4 year old daughter who won't speak or show any emotional break through in her facial expression and he's trying to locate her mother, who split on them three years ago, only so he can once and for all, sign off the custody rights over his daugter Luna.

Trent is a man, whose broodiness only gets hardened by his silent but overpowering threat, he doesn't speak often unless he's words are to cut you off, he's dismissive and gloomy. He's got no time for any social relationships nor he seeks one other than a few steady fucks...and that's all...

But when an 18 year old Edie Van Der Zee enters the spotlight and shows incredible backbone, sass and spite behind those sad eyes and heavy, old soul, as she's thrown into the botomless pit of her father's control and blackmail, Trent is suddenly torn between the need to get close to his daughter and to find a way for her to open up, and somehow Edie has a way of entering his daughter's closed off world, as much as the forbidden desire, pull and torment take the tool on them both, he still needs to uncover Edie layer by layer...



while pulling the right moves in the game of betrayal and devious ploy in which she's both the pawn...and the ultimate player...with her own high stakes to protect and keep safe...BUT Trent is a force to be recon and acknowledge and he will have the final word...

This relentless push and pull, temptation at its best, brings them both to the verge of breaking...

You're my Delilah, Edie, and I'm your Samson. You want to ruin me, destroy me, strip me of my power, and betray me. I should stay away from you, but I want you too fucking much. And when it's all over, when all that's left of us is sweaty flesh and shattered minds and torn hearts, you will remember me as the man who made you cry, and I'll remember you as the girl I had to break to stay afloat.

BUT against all rules, against all common sense, what they had found was made only for them, from scratch...



and inspite of it all, they fuckin OWN it!!!

My girl, my obsession, my Tide.

I'm so fucking in love with you, Edie Van Der Zee, i don't know where I end and where you begin anymore. I love you despite knowing it's crazy...
I love you even though we're not at the same place in life, have nothing in common, and started off so fucking bad. And still, I love you.

BUT love knows NO boundaries...

One of my fave male characters...

A huuuuge Thank. You. to L.J. Shen for the given ARC in exchange for an honest review

[NMmomof4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 Stars

Overall Opinion: This is a really tough one to rate for me. Hence, why I'm doing the weird "-" rating. My gut reaction is to say 4 Stars -- because I did like it, but when I break things down I can't ignore the few issues I did have to where I want to give it 3.5 stars.

First and foremost, I wanted more time in between the resolution of the conflict and the HEA. It felt way too easy! I also felt it was a little abrupt. Even though I did get my questions answered, and it did feel resolved enough for me to deem it a "HEA" -- I think we needed the extra time experiencing their unusual but new "normal".

And -- I wanted more of the H interacting with his daughter. Yes, I believed that he loved her. Yes, I understood that he didn't know what to do with her. BUT I would've loved to experience the H taking the time to work with her and building their relationship to be stronger. Why was it like a separation between his relationship with Luna and Edie's relationship with Luna? I didn't get that. I also feel it's a shame that we didn't get much in actual experiences with them all three together (other than a re-cap of what happened). How he was with Theo? Perfect. I don't understand why I perceived him as different with Luna though...

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Edie and Trent's story. Trent is reluctantly in business with Edie's father, and he meets her when she is forced to be the new assistant to the assistants. Edie doesn't want to be there, but she is under her controlling father's thumb and he is holding something over her. They dance around each other even though they both are strongly attracted and feel a strong pull to one another. They finally give in to their attraction and the pull they feel towards one another. Edie's dad is causing some problems, but they come to mutual understanding that things are just going to be messy. There is a significant age difference, the taboo of Edie being Trent's work colleague's daughter, some hot sexy times, some sweet moments with Trent's silent daughter, and some more drama thrown in...and they get a HEA ending.

POV: This alternated between Edie and Trent's POV.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well. The ending was a little abrupt though.

Instalove: No, more like a hate-to-love thing.

H rating: 4 stars. Trent. He was a jerk is the hottest way! I thought he was kind of harsh with Edie at times, but I also understood where he was coming from.

h rating: 3.5 stars. Edie. I liked her spirit, her loyalty, and her compassion. I did, however, want her to be more upfront and ask for help from Trent!

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes They start out with a hateful but lusty relationship where they both push away at times. I would say that the H is the main pursuer of the relationship.

Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Some spanking, rough sex, and anal

Descriptive sex: Yes

Safe sex: Yes Mentions of condom use. The H mentions that he did go without a condom with the mother of his daughter and that's why she ended up pregnant. I don't remember any mention of std statuses or any other previous practices.

OW/OM drama: Yes There is a OM that the h often hooked up with (and dated in school) that causes some jealousy for the H. The H's daughter's therapist is also his f-buddy and she causes some jealousy for the h (he breaks it off once he starts to realize he wants the h). The H is also f-buddies with his PI, but breaks off with her at same time as the therapist.

Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes There is a scene where the h walks in on the H with OW (his f-buddy/daughter's therapist). She watched for a bit and talked to him, then walked off. This is before anything substantial had happened between them.

Cheating: No

Separation: Yes They are separated shortly (days?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time.

Possible Triggers: Yes Blackmail/physical abuse (h by father - on page), special needs children (on page), drug addict/depressed/suicidal parent (on page), drug use (marijuana- on page, and cocaine - mentions of use off page), H has child with OW from ONS, special needs children, workplace, and ~15 year age difference between h and H.

Closure: This had a cute epilogue that tied up all of my loose ends. As usual, I wanted more -- but I would reluctantly say this was a HEA ending (see "overall opinion" section above for more)

How I got it: It was included with my kindle unlimited subscription.

Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating
- Does have a descriptive sex scene with the H and OW
- Does have the H and h pushing away
- Does have a short (days?) separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse by mcs
- Does Not have OTT sad parts
- Does have a HEA ending

[alka · Rating 1 out of 5]

i'm definitely out of my lj shen phase

[Laura Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scandalous (Sinners of Saint #3)
By: L.J. Shen
4 Stars
The Hot-Holes are Back!!! I have absolutely loved reading about my favorite men in the Sinners of Saint Series. To say I was patiently waiting for Trent’s story would be a lie. I have been biting my nails, seriously stalking, refreshing constantly… Till the day Scandalous landed on my kindle.

What a story Trent-The Mute had to tell! Not coming from money like the other Hot-Holes, Trent has earned each and every penny he has made. Living in the dream community of Todos Santos, working long hours and trying to be the best single parent to his wonderful daughter.

Edie comes from a family (if you want to call it that) of pure money…coconut water at 5 bucks a bottle is nothing… But Edie is lost…lost from trying to take care of everything for everyone at all times. When her father tells her that she needs to start working at his company, if she isn’t going to go to college… She knows her father is forcing her to do this because he wants something in return.

“I think it’s time to make some popcorn, kids. These two are going to give us the best show this town has to offer.”

When Trent first saw Edie, that was all it took for him to know his world was about to get turned upside down once again. Falling for his business partner’s daughter…well that wasn’t planned. But what was planned is each and every step Trent makes in this story. He’s been burned before and has learned from each time…

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[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

[Megan✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A scandal is the last thing my family needs. But a scandal is what we’re going to give them. And oh, what a beautiful chaos it will be."

Wow, just wow. Scandalous was well worth the wait, in my eyes. I just love those HotHoles and couldn’t think of anything better than delving into Trent’s story and… I mean seriously, with a cover like that, how could I not. Right?

L. J. Shen has really saved the best for last, so much so that I took my time devouring every word written. To say that I’m sad we’ve come to an end of the HotHoles journey would be an understatement, but you know what they say, all good things must come to an end. This series, even though each book is a complete standalone, has been immortalised as one of my favorite series of all time. I had a distinct feeling Trent’s story would leave me breathless, I just couldn’t fathom the extent to which it did.

Edie is a broken and lost girl who will do absolutely anything she can in order to survive, but she is clearly not stupid. Edie has been accepted into a number of out of town universities, some of which are Ivy League, but nothing on this earth can make her accept and attend any of them, especially not her wealthy, cold and cutthroat father. As a result of her decision not to go to college, Edie’s father has informed her she will come to work with him at Fiscal Heights Holdings.

“You make me feel wild. Fearless. Like I’m someone. Someone strong”

Trent Rexroth (AKA The Mute) has not had an easy life and knows all too well what it’s like to struggle, but along with the help of his best friends, he has worked darn hard to achieve what he has to date. Trent is calculating, ruthless and is called The Mute for a reason. He speaks very little, but he doesn’t really have to, his eyes and his demeanour say it all. Sometimes it’s the quietest ones who have the most to say. From an outsiders point of view Trent appears to have it all; wealth, luxury and his pick of any woman at his disposal, but things aren’t always as they appear though.

“I was opening up to someone who wasn’t my parents or my three friends, feeling the walls of something disastrous closing down on me.”

Trent is a single dad to his beautiful three year old daughter Luna, who actually doesn’t speak at all. Her silence could all come down to the fact that her mom took off and she hasn’t seen her since. Having your mom desert you and never look back can have lasting psychological effects on a child and she doesn’t speak as a result. Trent’s love, compassion and patience he demonstrates when it comes to Luna is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Scandalous to me is… EVERYTHING. It took me on a wild ride from start to finish and I just could not put it down even if I wanted to. I absolutely loved everything about this story from the writing, the characters, the emotion and the angst.

“We stared at each other, almost smiling. What a fucking way to break my rules, with a girl who was both at my mercy and tasted of betrayal.”

The feels were real and everything these characters endured I felt deep down to my core. Stories or series like this epitomise why I love to read so much; especially allowing me to escape reality and get so invested in the story and the characters that I feel everything they do.

I would talk the ear off of anyone who would listen to me about the magnitude of awesomeness that is the Sinners of Saint series. I have to say that out of all the Characters within the series, Edie and Trent have to be my favorites. Trent, because of his profound love of his family and the way he has overcome his past and struggles and Edie, who is so mature beyond her years, strong and determined (serious wow factor).

So as I write this review, it is also with a heavy heart, because we have come to the end of an epic series. I know without a doubt that these characters I have met along my journey will stay with me forever. If you are yet to meet the HotHoles, then I’m jealous because you get to experience how awesome this series is for the first time. I obviously loved it and obviously could not recommend it enough.

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★4.5 STARS★

"Trent Rexroth wasn't a crush. He was the very thing that'd end up crushing me if I wasn't careful."

Scandalous is the third book in the Sinners of Saint Series. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading the entire series from the first book because you don't want to miss one second of the HotHoles and their shenanigans.

"Next time you make a joke about someone else fucking you, just remember I own every single hole in your body, including the one I'll leave in your heart when I'm done."

Trent Rexroth is known as the mute. The brooding single parent alpha male might not have much too say and yet, his actions speak louder than words. He is quite passionate about women, his job, and his daughter. When Edie Van Der Zee, one of his business partner's eighteen-year-old daughter, crashes into his life, Trent has a lot to say!

"My spine was a candlewick, melting slowly and hotly. My first climax felt wild, unnatural. Like I was bursting at the seams, my body like a too-tight corset."

Edie has always had to take care of herself. Although she appears to have it all, Edie has been burdened with an abusive father and a number of obstacles in her life. When she and Trent connect, a forbidden romance ignites. But Edie has secrets and she has the power to take Trent down. Even though Trent knows that his relationship with Edie is a bad idea, neither one of them can stay away. As tensions rise, Trent and Edie will have to learn to trust each other in order for their love to survive.

"That night. I'd changed. That night, I didn't take anything from Edie Van Der Zee. For the first time in years-I gave something of myself. Worst part? I'd never be able to retrieve it. It was hers. Forever."

Told in dual POV, once again L.J. Shen has crafted a beautiful story with raw characters who live wild and free. Trent and Edie present a "forbidden romance" that breaks all the rules. With passion in the office, a bi-racial pairing, and a huge age gap between the H and H, Scandalous offers one wild ride that you will never forget. The supporting characters, once again, enhance the story greatly as they support Trent and Edie. Luna, Trent's daughter, is the absolute star of the show. As Luna weaves her way into Edie's heart, Trent is willing to sacrifice it all in order to keep his "girls" safe. The plot has a number of twists and turns and as the tensions rise, the HotHoles must band together to protect the ones they love. In true L.J. fashion, the witty text is beautifully written and delivered with a lot of heart! In addition to the rich emotional connection between Edie and Trent, the passion between the two is off the charts! I found myself swooning the entire read!



I highly recommend the Sinners of Saint Series to all of my contemporary romance reading friends. Each story is unique, passionate, and full of complex characters. Scandalous is an absolute must read with a beautiful plot, broken characters, and steamy forbidden romance. Trent and Edie's story is one that I will never forget!

***Sinners of Saint***


*This was a BR with my girl SUEBEE!



*ARC graciously provided via author in exchange for an honest review!

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[Belle · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5/5 stars

I think I just need to give up on this series, I couldn't connect to the characters and I found myself rolling my eyes more often than not when it came to the story line. I just don't understand the appeal, I thought that the plot was boring and dragged, and not one character acted their age.



This follows Trent, a rich business mogul and his business partner's eighteen year old daughter, Edie. Edie is forced to work for the company by her father who she hates, he is a manipulative and cold father who chooses to use his daughter to find out dirt on his business partners.

Trent knows that Edie is bad news, he's seen her digging around his belonging and stealing. He knows his only concern should be his young daughter who he raises alone, a daughter who has never spoken a word, but he can't get Edie out of his head, despite the large age gap between them.

The premise is without a doubt something that should appeal to me, but the execution wasn't my jam. I thought that the characters didn't act their age at all, and I didn't like their personalities. Edie was rather annoying, stepping all over people and defending her actions. She didn't posses a backbone when it came to her father and just pathetically childish when it came to everybody else.

Trent was in his thirties and he often compared Edie to a child, thinking he was sick to want her. What I found the most disturbing was when she compared Edie's "shapeless" body to his daughters, pointing out the similarities. And still wanting to fuck her. Why, why and why.

[chan ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all. This was fan-fucking-tastic.

The story followed Trent, our lovable, sexy mixed dude who's raising his daughter Luna on his own AND 18 year old Edie who is the daughter of his business partner/enemy.

What was so wonderful you ask?

Representation. A strong and loving single father... and yeah I know this isn't THAT uncommon in romances but usually it's because of a deceased wife (not so in this book). A heroine with a shitty upbringing, plenty of sass, and a big ole heart.

And a GENUINE connection. They didn't have the same interests, they weren't in the same place in their lives, but it worked. Emotionally and in their personalities they matched so perfectly. The epilogue was especially wonderful seeing how their sweet messy life together plays out. I think in that way this book is unique. I love NA & contemporary romances to help me escape and this one certainly did that, but the reality of the love and the complication of life that was described was so spot on for me. It was very different from Vicious but equally as wonderful.

Also, a sexy age gap and even sexier sexy times. Yeah yeah gratuitous use of the word sexy, I get it. But seriously, this book was hot and so up my alley. And it'll prolly be up yours too so add it to your TBR.

[Yeasmin Alo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow!!!
From Where do I Start !!

But hold on kids Here is my verdict ⬇️

There is nothing "Scandalous" about this book



Okay so off topic.
This book surely made me want to re-read the first few chapters of Broken Knight because I love Luna the moonshine and her Knight tooooo much ❤ I might as well do that ☺ Little Luna is the cutest thing ever 💕


Trent

Idk why I loved him as a father
But just liked him as a lover

I think that's because I am obviously high on Vicious and Then It's Knight who comes second after Vicious. And Dean was also extraordinarily good with Rosie. So three of them surely set the bar too high.It was not his fault it just that my expectations were somewhat higher by default.

Also I wasn’t really a fan of how he handled his problems I wonder if not for Vicious and Dean how he would have sorted out his mess 🤔. Somehow I also felt he treated Edie same way he treated Luna's psychologist and His Private investigator (like an object) untill 70% of the book. In Edie's case she was a forbidden fruit more appealing and not to mention a steady young nanny for Luna and Unfortunately Camilla was an old lady 🤐 and "too vanilla" probably.

Male protagonist is the most important role for me whenever I am reading a book. His characteristics are everything.I follow every Single thing about Male Lead. So I am sorry if I am being a harsh critique.

Trent is the exact type of man I like, the quiet the serious the less talk the MORE action type. I was intrigued untill I saw how he treated Edie.Even I was feeling used on her behalf. He was trying too hard in all the wrong places.

I Didn't like his obnoxiously careless I-Don't-give-a-fuck attitude, doesn’t really suit him 🤐 not to forget because of that Val happened, Luna lost her talking ability for good 18 years and he almost lost his job.

He seemed like a wanna be dominant
In short I am not impressed.
But yes whatsoever he Aced as a father


Edie



I loved her as a heroine. For an Eighteen year old she was super brave and strong.
But most importantly I loved how she treated Luna, how she loved her family fiercely and fulfill her duties like a champion. In the meantime, she also took out time to live her passion Surfing. So yeah she was the life of this book I would say.


The Plot
The plot is just brilliant
The plot alone is 5 out of 5.
I loved every moment of it 😍. Story is strong. It Will definitely give the readers time of the day. It was engaging.

In short, this book is worth a try.
Definitely recommend it ❤

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 "If you want to be strong, be" stars!!

I can’t get enough of these Hotholes. And while Vicious will always be my #1, I’m enjoying getting to know the rest of the crew. In Scandalous, we get the story of Trent. I’m a huge fan of the strong and silent type and he seemed to fit the mold. Trent’s got a problem. He’s at the top of his game, he’s trying to get through to his daughter who is more of a mute than he is, and he can’t seem to get his mind, his lustful thoughts, or his eyes off of little miss Edie Van Der Zee. Funny thing is, as much as she tries to resist him, even she knows that they’re inevitable. The real problems are her age, which they can get past because she’s legal, and her father, who is out to get Trent by any means necessary. Even if it means blackmailing his daughter to get the job done. Their journey to love was arduous amidst the secrecy, betrayal, drama, hot sex, parenthood, the cute moments of Trent’s daughter, the intense banter and chemistry, and the endless fight between Edie and Trent. But it was so worth it.

My favorite moments of this story involved Trent and his precious daughter. The author captured his confusion, frustration, wonderment, and absolute love so beautifully.

I loved my daughter hopelessly, desperately, urgently.

And he really did. He celebrated every triumph of her growth and considered every way to ensure her happiness. His love for her was something to aspire to. Each and every father out there should feel this way about their princess.

I wanted to show her that the world was a beautiful, frightening place worth experiencing. That peasants could be crowned kings if they worked hard enough, and how her daddy was living proof of that.

This was a forbidden romance because of the age difference between Edie and Trent. These two were electric together and their affair was full of passion and all the makings of love. Trent was definitely a cold one but I couldn’t help but love how hard he fell. And Edie was full of spice. I loved how she continued to give Trent a reason to fight. They both had to overcome so much pain and were dealing with so many obstacles and somehow they each were able to fulfill the needs of the other and provide whatever was missing.

And when it’s all over, when all that’s left of us is sweaty flesh and shattered minds and torn hearts, you will remember me as the man who made you cry, and I’ll remember you as the girl I had to break to stay afloat.

I would have liked to spend more time with this couple. I wanted to see more closure of the issues that burdened them. However, with the allure of a book about Bane, I’m more than satisfied and expect to see these two again.

Release Date: September 25, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Forbidden Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Heat: 4 out of 5
Type: Standalone - Book #3 of the Sinners of Saint series with character crossover

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's official-Trent Rexroth is my favorite hothole.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ❤

Scandalous is the third book in the Sinners of Saint series.I was so excited to read it because I loved Ruckus a lot and I couldn't wait for Trent's story.I really enjoyed the plot in this one.Scandalous was a great story.

I was intrigued with Trent, I wanted to know more about him,he was like a mystery to me.Trent is dark,sexy and cocky.Whenever Trent and Edie were together you could feel the tension.They have some really hot moments, I love their connection.

The only reason I didn't give this one 5 STARS ,is that even though I really like it I couldn't fall in love 100% with the characters.Believe me I loved them a lot but not as much as I hoped.