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Beautiful Graves
They say first loves are oftentimes the end of one’s innocence.
Those words couldn’t ring truer for Everlynne Lawson, whose first brush with romance came with a heartbreak… and the thing that seems to follow her everywhere she goes. Death.
After a great tragedy, Everlynne loses all she cares about—her dreams, her family, and her soulmate, Joe.
Guilt-ridden, Everlynne decides to isolate herself in Salem, Massachusetts. A shell of the woman she once was, she takes her days one at a time, careful not to allow herself the joy she believes others in her life were robbed of. But when the mysterious, handsome Dominic storms into her life, it becomes more difficult to stay in solitude. Dominic is different: adventurous, joyous, with lust for life and a passion to make her his.
Everlynne is on the cusp of reinventing herself once again when the old wounds of her past are resurrected, rawer than ever. There is nothing worse than being in love with two men.
Especially when one of them hates you.
From USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen comes a passion- and angst-charged story about a woman caught between a secure relationship and a once-in-a-lifetime spark with her muse.
Those words couldn’t ring truer for Everlynne Lawson, whose first brush with romance came with a heartbreak… and the thing that seems to follow her everywhere she goes. Death.
After a great tragedy, Everlynne loses all she cares about—her dreams, her family, and her soulmate, Joe.
Guilt-ridden, Everlynne decides to isolate herself in Salem, Massachusetts. A shell of the woman she once was, she takes her days one at a time, careful not to allow herself the joy she believes others in her life were robbed of. But when the mysterious, handsome Dominic storms into her life, it becomes more difficult to stay in solitude. Dominic is different: adventurous, joyous, with lust for life and a passion to make her his.
Everlynne is on the cusp of reinventing herself once again when the old wounds of her past are resurrected, rawer than ever. There is nothing worse than being in love with two men.
Especially when one of them hates you.
From USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen comes a passion- and angst-charged story about a woman caught between a secure relationship and a once-in-a-lifetime spark with her muse.
381 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2022
8316 people are currently reading
30402 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Shen
77 books56k followersL.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).
Keep up with L.J. on all platforms:
Newsletter Sign up ➜ https://bit.ly/3LhsIrb
Instagram➜ shorturl.at/cDJRZ
TikTok ➜ shorturl.at/frw59
Facebook➜ https://goo.gl/fKCSo4
Website ➜ www.authorljshen.com
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).
Keep up with L.J. on all platforms:
Newsletter Sign up ➜ https://bit.ly/3LhsIrb
Instagram➜ shorturl.at/cDJRZ
TikTok ➜ shorturl.at/frw59
Facebook➜ https://goo.gl/fKCSo4
Website ➜ www.authorljshen.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,619 reviews
October 5, 2022
2 stars
where do i even begin with this clusterfuck. my emotions were constantly doing this 📈📉📈📉📈📉📈📉
i was sorta liking it at around 50%, but then it started going downhill which is where the low rating comes from.
i’m just come out and say it because it’s pretty clear that this wasn’t the love triangle it was made out to be. sure, is there a woman struggling to decide between the love she has for two very different men? yes. does that, in itself, constitute this being called a ‘love triangle’ when it was VERY clear who she would end up ‘choosing’?
i think that’s biggest issue with the love triangle trope. authors need to make sure that the character that the MC chooses is the BEST choice. the obvious choice. the only choice.
it kinda makes me think back to ACOTAR. feyre was with tamlin in the 1st and 2nd book but with the way she was being treated, we had to root for rhys to be endgame. that being said, it’d be very difficult for an author to actually surprise us when the heroine finally chooses the one so i don’t fault LJS with that. this is more me complaining about love triangles as a whole
as far as the book, sadly all i want to say can’t be said without spoiling everything and i mean everything
✨ spoilers below ✨
characters
everlynne lawson a.k.a. ever
🪦 goth
🪦 traumatic childhood
🪦 in love with 2 brothers
🪦 gravestone designer/tour guide
joseph graves a.k.a. joe or seph
📚 the “ugly” brother, but also the superior one
📚 has been in love with everlynne since he was 19
📚 considered a bad boy cause he fucks girls and smokes cigarettes
📚 thinks nirvana sucks
dominic graves a.k.a. dom
🚩 nurse practitioner
🚩 manipulator
🚩 has never seen star wars
🚩 thinks seafood ice cream is the greatest thing since frozen pizzas
let me talk about the biggest issues with this book (essentially everything):
no, this review is genuinely hideous. sorry in advance but my brain couldn’t figure out how to explain every messy part about this book without me rambling half the time 🥲
➥ everlynne pining after joe for years after meeting him once
i wish i was lying when i say that. everlynne goes to spain and happens to meet joe in a pharmacy. they hit it off but end up separating and don’t meet again until the last day of everlynne’s trip. they end up meeting again at a beach part after everlynne walks into the ocean and almost drowns 💀
they have sex on the beach, twice, and declare themselves boyfriend and girlfriend. i kid you not…they just met. they’ve probably spent a total of 3 hours together, but they’re gushing about how they’re going to miss each other. i had to remind myself a couple times they were 18 & 19 years old 😂
sadly, when everlynne gets home, she’s texting joe while waiting for the subway with her mom. she gets so excited that when she twirls, she ends up falling off the side of the platform and on the rails. her mom ends up saving her but is killed herself 🫠
as a result, everlynne throws her whole phone into the ocean as punishment for herself and never contacts joe again
you have no idea how much i wish i was making this up 🤣she then moves to boston (where joe is from) in hopes that she’d run into him some day and doesn’t associate herself with men again for SIX YEARS. when after she met dom, she originally rejects him by telling him she’s “hung up on her ex” 💀💀
➥ the big reveal
as you can clearly see, dom and joe are actually brothers but everlynne doesn’t discover that until well into dom and her's romance. please, it was so painfully obvious that was going to happen
it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that ‘joe’ and ‘seph’ (dom’s nickname for him) spells joseph 💀
➥ everlynne being blind to every red flag thrown her way by dom
when i tell you he used his past cancer diagnosis as a way to manipulate everlynne, i’m serious.
even though he knew that everlynne and her family had a strained relationship and that her visiting them for christmas is CRITICAL, he guilt trips her into canceling!
he spews some story about how he had another cancer scare while he was dating this girl and she left him before the holiday because she couldn’t take it anymore.
then, when everlynne has practically been forced to accept his invite to thanksgiving, he’s like “ohhh no you don’t have to”
uh…is that not why you spewed that random story dude???? craziest part it…THAT NEVER HAPPENED!!! the girlfriend never existed 💀
then, everlynne finds a necklace under dom’s bed with the letter ‘s’ on it and of course he has the perfect explanation for it—
how do you remember the name of some random tinder date, off the top of your head, that you fucked one time months prior 🤨
then we have this beautiful comment about one of joe’s hook-ups, right in front of everlynne—
what made this man think this was comical 😐
➥ dominic dies over tampons
okay, i’m joking…sorta. randomly, dominic proposes to everlynne in front of his entire family (including joe) and ever has no choice but to say yes. after joe runs off because he’s hurt, everlynne chases after him and tries to explain why she had to said yes
joe wasn’t having it though
well, everlynne slaps him and dom and her leave. once they get home, everlynne tells dom she needs to talk to him about something important to which he responds by propositioning her for sex
she’s like, “i can’t, i’m on my period and i need to go buy tampons”
being the kind and caring person he is (not), he tells her he’ll buy them for her. everlynne gets a call from joe a little later saying she needs to go to the hospital because dom has been hit by a truck after he collapse in the street
when she gets to the hospital, she speaks to a doctor who’s name she recognizes because dom has brought her up before. her name is sarah….do you see where i’m going with this 😭😭😭
Y’ALL THE NECKLACE SHE FOUND UNDER DOM’S BED WAS HIS GIRLFRIEND SARAH’S, NOT SOME RANDOM TINDER HOOKUP 🤣🤣
then it’s revealed that dom died the very next chapter 💀 please the dramatics of this whole situation had me gone
another fabulous point, you know how i mentioned that dom proposed very suddenly? it’s revealed that dom found who everlynne was to joe when they found out themselves, so to spite his brother, he proposed so everlynne couldn’t choose joe. when i tell you this man was actually psychotic 🤯
➥ “i want you, i don’t want you”
now that dom is out of the way (i can’t find the will to be sad about his death, in fact, it’s a celebration), everlynne can finally be with joe, right? NOPPEEEE
everlynne wastes months, MONTHS away from joe, despite loving him, because she’s a stupid bitch. for a second there, she does accept that she wants to be with him but then LEAVES HIM. he tells her he loves her, she promises to not break his heart again and what does she say 5 minutes after they have sex?
oh my god my brain was physically hurting at this point and this wasn’t even the last time she left him after that.
even worse, during their separation, joe brags about how he had a threesome on his birthday 🧍♀️
i’m all for getting revenge and such but i really thought he was gonna come out and tell her “oh i lied about the threesome”...nope, he actually goes into intimate detail about how it ended up occurring 😍
the real question is how did i end up giving this book 2 stars instead of 1...well, the only thing i can offer you is i actually teared up a few times (like when joe said he had a threesome). some times the book really got to me and i did connect with joe’s character (even though he was dumb sometimes). the patience this man exhibited...it was almost too much 💀
like damn how good must her 🐱 be if this man is forgiving her left and right cause i know damn well he doesn’t love her for her personality
❝I loved you, Ever Lawson. But I want you to know, you’re the worst thing that’s ever fucking happened to me.❞
where do i even begin with this clusterfuck. my emotions were constantly doing this 📈📉📈📉📈📉📈📉
i was sorta liking it at around 50%, but then it started going downhill which is where the low rating comes from.
i’m just come out and say it because it’s pretty clear that this wasn’t the love triangle it was made out to be. sure, is there a woman struggling to decide between the love she has for two very different men? yes. does that, in itself, constitute this being called a ‘love triangle’ when it was VERY clear who she would end up ‘choosing’?
i think that’s biggest issue with the love triangle trope. authors need to make sure that the character that the MC chooses is the BEST choice. the obvious choice. the only choice.
it kinda makes me think back to ACOTAR. feyre was with tamlin in the 1st and 2nd book but with the way she was being treated, we had to root for rhys to be endgame. that being said, it’d be very difficult for an author to actually surprise us when the heroine finally chooses the one so i don’t fault LJS with that. this is more me complaining about love triangles as a whole
as far as the book, sadly all i want to say can’t be said without spoiling everything and i mean everything
✨ spoilers below ✨
characters
everlynne lawson a.k.a. ever
🪦 goth
🪦 traumatic childhood
🪦 in love with 2 brothers
🪦 gravestone designer/tour guide
joseph graves a.k.a. joe or seph
📚 the “ugly” brother, but also the superior one
📚 has been in love with everlynne since he was 19
📚 considered a bad boy cause he fucks girls and smokes cigarettes
📚 thinks nirvana sucks
dominic graves a.k.a. dom
🚩 nurse practitioner
🚩 manipulator
🚩 has never seen star wars
🚩 thinks seafood ice cream is the greatest thing since frozen pizzas
let me talk about the biggest issues with this book (essentially everything):
no, this review is genuinely hideous. sorry in advance but my brain couldn’t figure out how to explain every messy part about this book without me rambling half the time 🥲
➥ everlynne pining after joe for years after meeting him once
i wish i was lying when i say that. everlynne goes to spain and happens to meet joe in a pharmacy. they hit it off but end up separating and don’t meet again until the last day of everlynne’s trip. they end up meeting again at a beach part after everlynne walks into the ocean and almost drowns 💀
they have sex on the beach, twice, and declare themselves boyfriend and girlfriend. i kid you not…they just met. they’ve probably spent a total of 3 hours together, but they’re gushing about how they’re going to miss each other. i had to remind myself a couple times they were 18 & 19 years old 😂
sadly, when everlynne gets home, she’s texting joe while waiting for the subway with her mom. she gets so excited that when she twirls, she ends up falling off the side of the platform and on the rails. her mom ends up saving her but is killed herself 🫠
as a result, everlynne throws her whole phone into the ocean as punishment for herself and never contacts joe again
you have no idea how much i wish i was making this up 🤣she then moves to boston (where joe is from) in hopes that she’d run into him some day and doesn’t associate herself with men again for SIX YEARS. when after she met dom, she originally rejects him by telling him she’s “hung up on her ex” 💀💀
➥ the big reveal
as you can clearly see, dom and joe are actually brothers but everlynne doesn’t discover that until well into dom and her's romance. please, it was so painfully obvious that was going to happen
it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that ‘joe’ and ‘seph’ (dom’s nickname for him) spells joseph 💀
➥ everlynne being blind to every red flag thrown her way by dom
when i tell you he used his past cancer diagnosis as a way to manipulate everlynne, i’m serious.
even though he knew that everlynne and her family had a strained relationship and that her visiting them for christmas is CRITICAL, he guilt trips her into canceling!
he spews some story about how he had another cancer scare while he was dating this girl and she left him before the holiday because she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Let’s just say she canceled the Christmas plans she’d had with my family and broke up with me on the same day. Said it was too much for her…I haven’t brought a girl over for a holiday since. So when I told Mom I wanted to invite you, she got her hopes up. That was my fault, though, Lynne. Not yours.”
then, when everlynne has practically been forced to accept his invite to thanksgiving, he’s like “ohhh no you don’t have to”
uh…is that not why you spewed that random story dude???? craziest part it…THAT NEVER HAPPENED!!! the girlfriend never existed 💀
then, everlynne finds a necklace under dom’s bed with the letter ‘s’ on it and of course he has the perfect explanation for it—
“It was before we got together. Way before. Her name was Sierra. It was one date. Tinder. I don’t usually do those, but I’d just lost a patient and was feeling really raw. Needless to say, I went and got checked afterward.”
how do you remember the name of some random tinder date, off the top of your head, that you fucked one time months prior 🤨
then we have this beautiful comment about one of joe’s hook-ups, right in front of everlynne—
“She sounds like a great girl,” Dom marvels. “Funny, nice, into you, got a great job.” There’s a comical beat before he adds, “Hot. Sorry, babe, it had to be said. The girl looks like a fashion model or something.”
what made this man think this was comical 😐
➥ dominic dies over tampons
okay, i’m joking…sorta. randomly, dominic proposes to everlynne in front of his entire family (including joe) and ever has no choice but to say yes. after joe runs off because he’s hurt, everlynne chases after him and tries to explain why she had to said yes
joe wasn’t having it though
“. . . though I’ll be honest, you seem to have a weakness when it comes to a Graves dick. You do know Dad is taken, right?”
well, everlynne slaps him and dom and her leave. once they get home, everlynne tells dom she needs to talk to him about something important to which he responds by propositioning her for sex
she’s like, “i can’t, i’m on my period and i need to go buy tampons”
being the kind and caring person he is (not), he tells her he’ll buy them for her. everlynne gets a call from joe a little later saying she needs to go to the hospital because dom has been hit by a truck after he collapse in the street
when she gets to the hospital, she speaks to a doctor who’s name she recognizes because dom has brought her up before. her name is sarah….do you see where i’m going with this 😭😭😭
“His fiancée.” I turn my empty hand just so, revealing a sparkling diamond ring.
“His fiancée?” she repeats.
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
“Why?”
Dr. Sarah doesn’t look so friendly anymore. “Because I’m his girlfriend.”
Y’ALL THE NECKLACE SHE FOUND UNDER DOM’S BED WAS HIS GIRLFRIEND SARAH’S, NOT SOME RANDOM TINDER HOOKUP 🤣🤣
then it’s revealed that dom died the very next chapter 💀 please the dramatics of this whole situation had me gone
another fabulous point, you know how i mentioned that dom proposed very suddenly? it’s revealed that dom found who everlynne was to joe when they found out themselves, so to spite his brother, he proposed so everlynne couldn’t choose joe. when i tell you this man was actually psychotic 🤯
➥ “i want you, i don’t want you”
now that dom is out of the way (i can’t find the will to be sad about his death, in fact, it’s a celebration), everlynne can finally be with joe, right? NOPPEEEE
everlynne wastes months, MONTHS away from joe, despite loving him, because she’s a stupid bitch. for a second there, she does accept that she wants to be with him but then LEAVES HIM. he tells her he loves her, she promises to not break his heart again and what does she say 5 minutes after they have sex?
“You’re leaving?” He sits upright, braced on his elbows, staring at me with thunder in his eyes.
“I have nothing here,” I say helplessly, sitting up too.
oh my god my brain was physically hurting at this point and this wasn’t even the last time she left him after that.
even worse, during their separation, joe brags about how he had a threesome on his birthday 🧍♀️
i’m all for getting revenge and such but i really thought he was gonna come out and tell her “oh i lied about the threesome”...nope, he actually goes into intimate detail about how it ended up occurring 😍
the real question is how did i end up giving this book 2 stars instead of 1...well, the only thing i can offer you is i actually teared up a few times (like when joe said he had a threesome). some times the book really got to me and i did connect with joe’s character (even though he was dumb sometimes). the patience this man exhibited...it was almost too much 💀
like damn how good must her 🐱 be if this man is forgiving her left and right cause i know damn well he doesn’t love her for her personality
November 22, 2022
LJSs books are literally hit or miss for me. they alternate between 2 and 4 stars only. her previous book was a 4 for me, so i should have known this would be a 2.
and its not even because of the love triangle! which is my least favourite trope in the whole wide world. its because of how painfully unbelievable the plot/romance is and how terribly written the characters are.
the good news is im on schedule to enjoy LJSs next book! lol.
↠ 2.5 stars
and its not even because of the love triangle! which is my least favourite trope in the whole wide world. its because of how painfully unbelievable the plot/romance is and how terribly written the characters are.
the good news is im on schedule to enjoy LJSs next book! lol.
↠ 2.5 stars
October 3, 2022
Why i hate love triangles.
Exhibit A - this book.
Don't read it, it's trash.
It's giving nothing but useless drama with bland characters.
A heroine who is the most selfish indecisive piece of shit, brother #1 - so pathetic and stupid and brother #2 who was actually the one good thing in this crap until she went and ruined him.
This is not even a romance novel.
There is nothing seemingly romantic, everything is grey and depressive and the h is always crying or whining and she makes you wanna puke simply bc how can you root for such an awful character who does questionable things for reasons so stupid.
How can you root for a relationship based on the first chapter and one meeting which lasted one fucking?? So far fetched and undeveloped, like everything else in this book.
Why there were so many chapters focused on the h finding herself? When did she become interesting enough for me to give two fucks about how she's trying to move on. I DON'T.
My favourite part:
when she gets engaged with the first brother and then after 5 minutes she's kissing the other brother. But don't you worry one of them is a cheater. Oh and he dies.
Can't say i didn't see that coming.
Exhibit A - this book.
Don't read it, it's trash.
It's giving nothing but useless drama with bland characters.
A heroine who is the most selfish indecisive piece of shit, brother #1 - so pathetic and stupid and brother #2 who was actually the one good thing in this crap until she went and ruined him.
This is not even a romance novel.
There is nothing seemingly romantic, everything is grey and depressive and the h is always crying or whining and she makes you wanna puke simply bc how can you root for such an awful character who does questionable things for reasons so stupid.
How can you root for a relationship based on the first chapter and one meeting which lasted one fucking?? So far fetched and undeveloped, like everything else in this book.
Why there were so many chapters focused on the h finding herself? When did she become interesting enough for me to give two fucks about how she's trying to move on. I DON'T.
My favourite part:
when she gets engaged with the first brother and then after 5 minutes she's kissing the other brother. But don't you worry one of them is a cheater. Oh and he dies.
Can't say i didn't see that coming.
October 4, 2022
'🅱🅴🅰🆄🆃🅸🅵🆄🅻 🅶🆁🅰🆅🅴🆂' Is a full length romance book by L.J. ShenIn this you'll meet Everlynne, Joe and Dom.
This is so different to what you'd expect from this author, you can tell she threw her heart and soul into this book because it stands out from her past books. The characters were well rounded and engaging and so easy to connect with, the storyline pulled me in from the get go and throw in those little twists and I was along for the ride, those small curveballs pulled me in even more and had me rooting for the underdog.
- Love triangle ✔️
- Angst galore ✔️
- Good guy/Bad guy ✔️
- Heartbreak ✔️
- Star-crossed lovers ✔️
This book won't be for everyone and I think that was a risk this author was willing to take because many won't read it, yell out the word CHEATING and many will run a mile, yell out the word INSTA-LOVE and you've lost even more readers. Me personally I'm not a fan of insta love in my books, I dodge them like the plague, I need that chase, the build up, the longing, both instances in this book it was insta-love which I struggled with, but that's just me, and it comes down to personal preference..
But all in all I think the author did a great job with this, she stepped out of her comfort zone and gave us something she's never written before and for that I applaud her.
* Teaser used is off the authors facebook page *
September 28, 2022
For a voracious reader like me, it's a thrilling moment when my favourite writer releases a new book. I knew she would blow my mind with her story, but my unprepared self was stunned with extraordinary aftermath this "journey" left in its wake.
This book is sort of an oxymoron. Adrenaline rush from the sheer upsurge of emotions and a slow burn from simmering sentiments in the background. All this churn creates a smoldering romance that made my heart soar and culminated in shuddering climax almost like fireworks and I yelled Yessssss.
Oh this love hurts..it hurts the soul. you feel the acute ache in your bones. LJ'S words have stabbed and scarred with plot precision and roiling passions. As is the norm, her alphas are unforgettable and heroines kick Ass. You won't forget Joe in a hurry at all. Even though her earlier Heroes were broken but vicious, this sensitive and hurting hero will overshadow them all and become your utmost fave instantly.
When Everlynne Bellatrix Lawson meets Joe Graves perchance in the shopping aisle in Spain, they somehow end up on the beach in the most memorable first encounter I've ever read.
Their destinies are now entwined forever........or so it seems.
Lovers plan and God spits on those plans and readers cry at the unfairness of it all.
"The world is fucked, and unfair, and full of injustices. It is random, it is cruel, and it’s screwed us both over. Nothing matters anymore. All our dreams have gone up in flames, and there is nothing left to fight for."
Nursing a self-inflicted wounded heart, Ever stumbles her way through life when a cruel twist of fate completely destroys her sanity. She's merely existing. Keeping one foot in front of the other, hiding in plain sight. Like a sinner in search of redemption, Her pilgrimage is to Salem, where she can self-flaggelate to her hearts content.
But when all seems lost, Dominic steps in like a ray of sunshine in dismal grey world of Ever.
"Her ninety-nine-percent-chance-to-marry guy. #BestCoupleEver"
Just when you think his balming-calming presence might be the way to soothe and heal Lynne's brokenness, LJ in her convoluted sense of humour, decides to twist the knife a few times. Dom comes with a chance for laughter, lust and perhaps love For Ever but it seems her dues are not yet fully paid. Cause there's more!!!
"Salem was a punishment for me"
I'm not giving away any more clues to the plot, but trust me when I say this.
it's a heartwringer for sure. heartmulcher, heartmincer, heart annhilator.
Be prepared to feel dessicated, it causes tears will flow freely throughout your read. Remember to breathe in between.
The prominent feeling I had after I finished was Awe. I'd never expected this degree of angst from her before, so I was completely taken by surprise. Every word marks deep, every encounter sizzles with insane chemistry, every chapter throbs with foreboding dread. I wanted the best for all three, yet wasn't prepared to let any one of them go too.
**sigh**. It was completely worth the hiked pulse, skipped beats of my heart and a moment where it's just stopped altogether.
Totally worth it....maybe one more time but I need to recover for a few..
5 "point-oh-one-percent" stars
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This book is sort of an oxymoron. Adrenaline rush from the sheer upsurge of emotions and a slow burn from simmering sentiments in the background. All this churn creates a smoldering romance that made my heart soar and culminated in shuddering climax almost like fireworks and I yelled Yessssss.
Oh this love hurts..it hurts the soul. you feel the acute ache in your bones. LJ'S words have stabbed and scarred with plot precision and roiling passions. As is the norm, her alphas are unforgettable and heroines kick Ass. You won't forget Joe in a hurry at all. Even though her earlier Heroes were broken but vicious, this sensitive and hurting hero will overshadow them all and become your utmost fave instantly.
When Everlynne Bellatrix Lawson meets Joe Graves perchance in the shopping aisle in Spain, they somehow end up on the beach in the most memorable first encounter I've ever read.
Their destinies are now entwined forever........or so it seems.
Lovers plan and God spits on those plans and readers cry at the unfairness of it all.
"The world is fucked, and unfair, and full of injustices. It is random, it is cruel, and it’s screwed us both over. Nothing matters anymore. All our dreams have gone up in flames, and there is nothing left to fight for."
Nursing a self-inflicted wounded heart, Ever stumbles her way through life when a cruel twist of fate completely destroys her sanity. She's merely existing. Keeping one foot in front of the other, hiding in plain sight. Like a sinner in search of redemption, Her pilgrimage is to Salem, where she can self-flaggelate to her hearts content.
But when all seems lost, Dominic steps in like a ray of sunshine in dismal grey world of Ever.
"Her ninety-nine-percent-chance-to-marry guy. #BestCoupleEver"
Just when you think his balming-calming presence might be the way to soothe and heal Lynne's brokenness, LJ in her convoluted sense of humour, decides to twist the knife a few times. Dom comes with a chance for laughter, lust and perhaps love For Ever but it seems her dues are not yet fully paid. Cause there's more!!!
"Salem was a punishment for me"
I'm not giving away any more clues to the plot, but trust me when I say this.
it's a heartwringer for sure. heartmulcher, heartmincer, heart annhilator.
Be prepared to feel dessicated, it causes tears will flow freely throughout your read. Remember to breathe in between.
The prominent feeling I had after I finished was Awe. I'd never expected this degree of angst from her before, so I was completely taken by surprise. Every word marks deep, every encounter sizzles with insane chemistry, every chapter throbs with foreboding dread. I wanted the best for all three, yet wasn't prepared to let any one of them go too.
**sigh**. It was completely worth the hiked pulse, skipped beats of my heart and a moment where it's just stopped altogether.
Totally worth it....maybe one more time but I need to recover for a few..
5 "point-oh-one-percent" stars
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August 8, 2023
4.5/5
Nie wiem czemu, ale ta książka kojarzy mi się trochę z Normalnymi Ludźmi. Wiecie, nie potrafią żyć ze sobą i bez siebie
Nie wiem czemu, ale ta książka kojarzy mi się trochę z Normalnymi Ludźmi. Wiecie, nie potrafią żyć ze sobą i bez siebie
August 12, 2022
Wow. I am left speechless. Beautiful Graves is absolutely phenomenal. This story was raw, powerful, gripping and so intoxicating. And the end result? I am left with an epic book hangover dying to return to Ever's beautiful love story!
I won't lie. The minute I read the blurb I knew that an angsty love triangle might kill me. But an L.J. Shen love triangle? Good Lord - THIS STORY SLAYED ME! The banter, passion and the beautiful depiction of one woman's journey torn between two completely different men left me spellbound and obsessed! I absolutely loved the epic plot twists, gut punches and the elusive breadcrumbs that all made sense in the end.
This story is everything I could have wanted and nothing I would have ever expected. It is so different from what Shen has previously written but quite frankly it is nothing short of extraordinary. I am left in awe after reading and already know this will be one of my 2022 favorites!! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
I won't lie. The minute I read the blurb I knew that an angsty love triangle might kill me. But an L.J. Shen love triangle? Good Lord - THIS STORY SLAYED ME! The banter, passion and the beautiful depiction of one woman's journey torn between two completely different men left me spellbound and obsessed! I absolutely loved the epic plot twists, gut punches and the elusive breadcrumbs that all made sense in the end.
This story is everything I could have wanted and nothing I would have ever expected. It is so different from what Shen has previously written but quite frankly it is nothing short of extraordinary. I am left in awe after reading and already know this will be one of my 2022 favorites!! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Read
September 11, 2022DNFing at page 200
I think this is a book that people are either going to absolutely love, or very much hate - unfortunately I am on the hating side because of my personal reading preferences - but if you have different taste in books than me, then this might work for you. —— So with that said… I should have DNFd this at page 38 when I already knew I wasn’t connecting to the characters or romance because it was instant-love and that’s an automatic turn off for me. I also wasn’t vibing with the teenagery writing style with the cringy sayings and mainstream references - but I decided to keep going because I thought the six year timejump might make it a bit better… but unfortunately, it didn’t.
We then met Dom and got a second instant-love vibe romance (on his end) - and I wasn’t into it at all because Everlynne was still hung up on Joe and it seemed very unrealistic to me from what we saw of that romance in the first 37 pages. We then find out that these two guys are brothers and I am not into fate/kismet shit so that was another eye roll/turn off moment for me - and then soon after that we find out that guy number two (Dom) was cheating on Everlynne and Joe knew about it. I don’t like reading about cheating - even if it’s not with the guy she’s going to end up with - and I was so not into the story by this point that i decided I’ve had enough and just skipped to the end to see how it all ended, & then officially DNF’d it.
There was a lot more about this story that wasn’t working for me but I am greatful to have received an arc of this from the author and don’t want to push any harder on my negative points than I need to because I think my reasoning for not enjoying it has nothing to do with the author and her writing, but rather with the fact that this type of story is just not for me - plus I think what I already stated was enough to give you a good idea of if this story will work for you or not.
I think this is a book that people are either going to absolutely love, or very much hate - unfortunately I am on the hating side because of my personal reading preferences - but if you have different taste in books than me, then this might work for you. —— So with that said… I should have DNFd this at page 38 when I already knew I wasn’t connecting to the characters or romance because it was instant-love and that’s an automatic turn off for me. I also wasn’t vibing with the teenagery writing style with the cringy sayings and mainstream references - but I decided to keep going because I thought the six year timejump might make it a bit better… but unfortunately, it didn’t.
We then met Dom and got a second instant-love vibe romance (on his end) - and I wasn’t into it at all because Everlynne was still hung up on Joe and it seemed very unrealistic to me from what we saw of that romance in the first 37 pages. We then find out that these two guys are brothers and I am not into fate/kismet shit so that was another eye roll/turn off moment for me - and then soon after that we find out that guy number two (Dom) was cheating on Everlynne and Joe knew about it. I don’t like reading about cheating - even if it’s not with the guy she’s going to end up with - and I was so not into the story by this point that i decided I’ve had enough and just skipped to the end to see how it all ended, & then officially DNF’d it.
There was a lot more about this story that wasn’t working for me but I am greatful to have received an arc of this from the author and don’t want to push any harder on my negative points than I need to because I think my reasoning for not enjoying it has nothing to do with the author and her writing, but rather with the fact that this type of story is just not for me - plus I think what I already stated was enough to give you a good idea of if this story will work for you or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2022
Let me start this by saying love triangles are one of my favorite tropes. I love the idea that we can love two completely different characters and not know who the h will end up with and hurt just as bad for either one. I've been wanting to read this since the blurb was released because it sounded like something I would love. This WAS NOT a love triangle. It was a mess really. The first love interest who is obviously supposed to be the forever choice, was introduced and was literally a one night stand. We are supposed to believe in this great love after a quick fuck while on a trip as 18/19 year olds?? They didn't even know each other's last names. I mean the whole sex scene was awkward to even consider it leaving a lasting impression. Then the time jump happens where Ever has literally done nothing with her life but run away.
The second love interest I wouldn't even consider a love interest. She never loved Dom. She forced herself into trying to be with him so she could hopefully move on from the penis she was still hung up on from 6years ago. Dom was also super sketchy from the get go and didn't even love her either. He was not properly developed as a character and honestly I did not miss him or feel any kind of sadness for him at all.
The book was pretty predictable and super underdeveloped. It was choppy at times and mainly just frustrating. Ever was probably one of the worst h's. She was flaky and weak and really had nothing going for her. She's lucky anyone stuck around for her really. Then to top off this disaster, it turns into a super cheesy Rom Com at the end.
My favorite line in the book is during a text exchange with Joe:
This sums up Ever's personality perfectly!
The second love interest I wouldn't even consider a love interest. She never loved Dom. She forced herself into trying to be with him so she could hopefully move on from the penis she was still hung up on from 6years ago. Dom was also super sketchy from the get go and didn't even love her either. He was not properly developed as a character and honestly I did not miss him or feel any kind of sadness for him at all.
The book was pretty predictable and super underdeveloped. It was choppy at times and mainly just frustrating. Ever was probably one of the worst h's. She was flaky and weak and really had nothing going for her. She's lucky anyone stuck around for her really. Then to top off this disaster, it turns into a super cheesy Rom Com at the end.
My favorite line in the book is during a text exchange with Joe:
"Ever: When's your birthday? You never told me.....
Joe: August 10th.
Ever: What can I get for you?
Joe: A fucking spine for yourself?"
This sums up Ever's personality perfectly!
July 24, 2024
¿CREES QUE una novela tiene que sorprenderte para que te guste🤔?
Te lo pregunto porque cuando empecé a leer este libro necesitaba una historia que fuera en plan adictiva total y a ser posible oscura... (sí, a veces tengo estas necesidades🤭) y al ver la portada de BEAUTIFUL GRAVES, creí que sería justo lo que andaba buscando...
Pero no fue así...😱
Es más, me encontré leyendo una historia muy diferente a lo que me había imaginado y bastante predecible...
Y, aun así, me gustó mucho!😏🔥
Ahora, si me preguntas qué vas a encontrarte en esta maravillosa novela, agárrate porque me arranco!
🔥Heridas del pasado
🔥Drama
🔥Superación personal
🔥Romance
🔥Y un triángulo amoroso que te dejará con la boca abierta🍎!
Así que si estás en modo busca y captura de una novela romántica con mucho drama y superación personal, no lo dudes, BEAUTIFL GRAVES es tu siguiente lectura🤭🔥🍎!
Te lo pregunto porque cuando empecé a leer este libro necesitaba una historia que fuera en plan adictiva total y a ser posible oscura... (sí, a veces tengo estas necesidades🤭) y al ver la portada de BEAUTIFUL GRAVES, creí que sería justo lo que andaba buscando...
Pero no fue así...😱
Es más, me encontré leyendo una historia muy diferente a lo que me había imaginado y bastante predecible...
Y, aun así, me gustó mucho!😏🔥
Ahora, si me preguntas qué vas a encontrarte en esta maravillosa novela, agárrate porque me arranco!
🔥Heridas del pasado
🔥Drama
🔥Superación personal
🔥Romance
🔥Y un triángulo amoroso que te dejará con la boca abierta🍎!
Así que si estás en modo busca y captura de una novela romántica con mucho drama y superación personal, no lo dudes, BEAUTIFL GRAVES es tu siguiente lectura🤭🔥🍎!
October 6, 2022
I don't hate it, I just don't like it at all and it's terrible.
Seriously why do I bother with Shen's books anymore. I keep hoping I'd see a glimpse of something that feels like her older work that I really loved and keep getting NOTHING.
The characters were awful, the plot was ridiculous, the way it all wrapped up it was a joke.
And if you wonder why I finished, it's me and you both. I just like to suffer I guess and I'm terrible at DNFing books.
So here we are, cheers to at least getting through this book.
Seriously why do I bother with Shen's books anymore. I keep hoping I'd see a glimpse of something that feels like her older work that I really loved and keep getting NOTHING.
The characters were awful, the plot was ridiculous, the way it all wrapped up it was a joke.
And if you wonder why I finished, it's me and you both. I just like to suffer I guess and I'm terrible at DNFing books.
So here we are, cheers to at least getting through this book.
October 21, 2022
As of this moment ~ Everlynne aka Ever aka Lynne ~ is the most terrible heroine (whom) ~ the fantastic author has created. I loved her in the Prologue. By the end of this "One-Not-For-Me-Star read," I crossed out the word "Beautiful" in the title. Unbelievably Ugly! A Double U Story!
January 14, 2024
Шен придаде нов смисъл на думата “мръсен секс”. Няма да съм същата след тази история. Просто не знам какво стана тук. Чела съм и други книги от авторката с нестабилни тинейджъри, токсични връзки, криндж еротични сцени и всякакви дивотии, но някак се спогаждахме. Толкова смотана главна героиня като тук не бях срещала
September 29, 2022
Oh my goodness, I am completely drained by this incredible book. The emotional journey is unbelievable. I wasn't expecting this level of ANGST from an LJ Shen book, but I was there for it!
This is a hard read, so put on your big girl panties and go with it. There's heartache and bad decisions and frustration... Extreme frustration... and pain... And there's also GROWTH and so much PASSION.
(I haven't felt this much frustration since Normal People by Sally Rooney--familiar with that one? Ever swaps places with Connell; Joe is the bad boy version of Marianne.)
One of the absolute BEST love-triangle, second-chance romances I've read. So emotional, so complex. Be prepared. This one is going to hurt before it leaves you hugging your kindle. FIVE STARS!!!
This is a hard read, so put on your big girl panties and go with it. There's heartache and bad decisions and frustration... Extreme frustration... and pain... And there's also GROWTH and so much PASSION.
(I haven't felt this much frustration since Normal People by Sally Rooney--familiar with that one? Ever swaps places with Connell; Joe is the bad boy version of Marianne.)
One of the absolute BEST love-triangle, second-chance romances I've read. So emotional, so complex. Be prepared. This one is going to hurt before it leaves you hugging your kindle. FIVE STARS!!!
May 12, 2023
The romance was lukewarm. I didn't feel them falling in love and didn't feel their connection.
These two hook up once, texted for a week and still in love and hanging on each other even after 6 years???
Sorry, but no. The writer did not make the characters work for their supposed chemistry so I couldn’t buy it.
These two hook up once, texted for a week and still in love and hanging on each other even after 6 years???
Sorry, but no. The writer did not make the characters work for their supposed chemistry so I couldn’t buy it.
November 21, 2022
I just couldn't with this heroine. Her inner dialogue was awful. I think she was a horrible person and didn't deserve all the people who loved her.
P.s. Dom was an asshole
P.s. Dom was an asshole
June 1, 2024
Cam 4,5*
L. J. Shen m-a uimit cu această poveste! "Graves. Regretele dau naștere celor mai frumoase povești" pare a fi cartea care iese din sfera de comfort a autoarei, o poveste cu puternice accente psihologice, cu coincidențe stranii, multă suferință și fatalitate.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
L. J. Shen m-a uimit cu această poveste! "Graves. Regretele dau naștere celor mai frumoase povești" pare a fi cartea care iese din sfera de comfort a autoarei, o poveste cu puternice accente psihologice, cu coincidențe stranii, multă suferință și fatalitate.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
July 6, 2023
Rating: ❌
I just could not finish this, I had really high hopes for this book and I’m really sad I have to DNF it.
🥺🥺
I just could not finish this, I had really high hopes for this book and I’m really sad I have to DNF it.
🥺🥺
August 24, 2023
Buch war super aber Ende hab ich nur noch überflogen das ewige hin und her war so unnötig 🫡
July 7, 2023
Liebesdreieck, Verlust und Selbstliebe
Everlynne und Joe fühlen sofort eine tiefe Verbindung, als sie sich im Spanienurlaub kennenlernen, aber schon nach einer Nacht trennen sich ihre Wege wieder. Jahre später denkt Ever noch immer an ihre erste Liebe und ist noch nicht über ihn hinweg, bis Dom in ihr Leben tritt und nicht locker lässt, bis sie bereit ist, ihr Herz wieder zu öffnen. Doch ihre Beziehung wird auf die Probe gestellt, als Joe plötzlich wieder auftaucht.
Seit einem schweren Schicksalsschlag ist Everlynne sehr einsam und antriebslos, sie hat keine besonders gute Beziehung zu ihrer Familie und meidet Begegnungen, und sie hat auch nur eine beste Freundin, die aus Rücksicht auf Ever nicht mit ihrem Freund zusammenziehen kann, da Ever sonst niemanden mehr hat.
Sie fühlt sich schon schnell zu Dom hingezogen, aber sie ist nicht wirklich bereit für eine neue Beziehung, denn sie ist auch nicht wirklich glücklich mit sich selbst und außerdem fühlt sie auch nicht so eine starke Verbindung wie damals bei Joe. Trotzdem fühlt sie sich bei ihm wohl und seine Aufmerksamkeit hilft ihr auch dabei, etwas gegen ihre Ängste zu kämpfen und sich auf Veränderungen einzulassen.
Ich bin ja kein Fan von Bad Boys, aber Joe ist auch nicht wirklich einer. Dom ist meistens gut gelaunt und energiegeladen, während Joe Ever unter den Umständen ihres Wiedersehens oft provoziert und ihr Leben, das gerade wieder gut läuft, erneut auf den Kopf stellt.
Der Klappentext und Prolog verraten schon fast mehr, als ich gebraucht hätte, so kann man schon gut erahnen, was auch einen zukommt: Liebesdreieck, Verlust und Selbstliebe. Dafür fand ich aber Everlynnes Gefühle oft sehr mitreißend. Ich konnte gut nachempfinden, wie unwohl sie sich in ihrer Haut fühlt und auch, warum sie bestimmte Entscheidungen trifft, obwohl sie dadurch nicht glücklicher wird. Es ist schon schön, sie dabei zu begleiten, wenn sie sich ihrer Vergangenheit stellt und sich mit sich selbst versöhnen muss.
Everlynne und Joe fühlen sofort eine tiefe Verbindung, als sie sich im Spanienurlaub kennenlernen, aber schon nach einer Nacht trennen sich ihre Wege wieder. Jahre später denkt Ever noch immer an ihre erste Liebe und ist noch nicht über ihn hinweg, bis Dom in ihr Leben tritt und nicht locker lässt, bis sie bereit ist, ihr Herz wieder zu öffnen. Doch ihre Beziehung wird auf die Probe gestellt, als Joe plötzlich wieder auftaucht.
Seit einem schweren Schicksalsschlag ist Everlynne sehr einsam und antriebslos, sie hat keine besonders gute Beziehung zu ihrer Familie und meidet Begegnungen, und sie hat auch nur eine beste Freundin, die aus Rücksicht auf Ever nicht mit ihrem Freund zusammenziehen kann, da Ever sonst niemanden mehr hat.
Sie fühlt sich schon schnell zu Dom hingezogen, aber sie ist nicht wirklich bereit für eine neue Beziehung, denn sie ist auch nicht wirklich glücklich mit sich selbst und außerdem fühlt sie auch nicht so eine starke Verbindung wie damals bei Joe. Trotzdem fühlt sie sich bei ihm wohl und seine Aufmerksamkeit hilft ihr auch dabei, etwas gegen ihre Ängste zu kämpfen und sich auf Veränderungen einzulassen.
Ich bin ja kein Fan von Bad Boys, aber Joe ist auch nicht wirklich einer. Dom ist meistens gut gelaunt und energiegeladen, während Joe Ever unter den Umständen ihres Wiedersehens oft provoziert und ihr Leben, das gerade wieder gut läuft, erneut auf den Kopf stellt.
Der Klappentext und Prolog verraten schon fast mehr, als ich gebraucht hätte, so kann man schon gut erahnen, was auch einen zukommt: Liebesdreieck, Verlust und Selbstliebe. Dafür fand ich aber Everlynnes Gefühle oft sehr mitreißend. Ich konnte gut nachempfinden, wie unwohl sie sich in ihrer Haut fühlt und auch, warum sie bestimmte Entscheidungen trifft, obwohl sie dadurch nicht glücklicher wird. Es ist schon schön, sie dabei zu begleiten, wenn sie sich ihrer Vergangenheit stellt und sich mit sich selbst versöhnen muss.
September 17, 2022
Beautiful Graves delivers all the emotions that touched deeply my heart. Love, tragedy and guilt might look as something universal, but at the same moment... author serving us all those things in a very uniqe way.
LJ Shen is proving another millionth time, that she's the master storyteller, and Beautiful Graves feels, like the real life, stormed into bookish fiction in the flesh.
This author never stops to amaze me! Beautiful Graves is her writting style at the finest, but, at the same moment Everlynne Lawson is delivering something totally different, than we know from LJ Shen. Love Triangle, never looked like this one here. Tragedy, never brought so much heartbreak. Love, nevel felt so wrong and right, at the same moment. Nothing seems to look, like it should be.
Beautiful Graves is complicated, angsty, surprising and not typical love story. The world LJ is introducing us to, is full of unexpected events, which are leading to growing up, life decisions,love and.... forgiveness. I'm fully aware that everyone can see this story in different way, but It's the way I feel it. Life is not easy, it's making choices every single day... Even mistakes are also important, because in the end of the day, everything above "shaping" us into people we are.
Why You won't hear any word from me about the storyline ? Into books like this one You need to jump as blind as You only can.
LJ Shen is proving another millionth time, that she's the master storyteller, and Beautiful Graves feels, like the real life, stormed into bookish fiction in the flesh.
This author never stops to amaze me! Beautiful Graves is her writting style at the finest, but, at the same moment Everlynne Lawson is delivering something totally different, than we know from LJ Shen. Love Triangle, never looked like this one here. Tragedy, never brought so much heartbreak. Love, nevel felt so wrong and right, at the same moment. Nothing seems to look, like it should be.
Beautiful Graves is complicated, angsty, surprising and not typical love story. The world LJ is introducing us to, is full of unexpected events, which are leading to growing up, life decisions,love and.... forgiveness. I'm fully aware that everyone can see this story in different way, but It's the way I feel it. Life is not easy, it's making choices every single day... Even mistakes are also important, because in the end of the day, everything above "shaping" us into people we are.
Why You won't hear any word from me about the storyline ? Into books like this one You need to jump as blind as You only can.
September 28, 2022
I just finished reading and I don't know what to do with myself, I feel drained, my heart aching, broken, and as I write this I can't help crying again because this journey with these characters was beyond everything I expected and owns a part of my soul and heart, my heart is overwhelmed with so many emotions.
The story feels completely DIFFERENT, but it is MIND-BLOWING and UNPUTDOWNABLE. The plot is unique and original, the author did a masterful job creating such real characters, the story between them is raw, intense, moving, and as the plot unfolds, we see their struggles, their pain, their angst is palpable through the pages, my heart ached for them. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat, the sizzling chemistry, and the twist, wow, I felt like addict, I couldn't get enough of the characters
Majestic, life-changing and intense, Beautiful Graves is a raw and compelling romance that left me breathless, I have no words, made me feel so much at the same time, it was so painfully beautiful, so heartbreaking, I loved it, this unforgettable story will stay with me forever, the author slayed again! 10+ stars!
The story feels completely DIFFERENT, but it is MIND-BLOWING and UNPUTDOWNABLE. The plot is unique and original, the author did a masterful job creating such real characters, the story between them is raw, intense, moving, and as the plot unfolds, we see their struggles, their pain, their angst is palpable through the pages, my heart ached for them. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat, the sizzling chemistry, and the twist, wow, I felt like addict, I couldn't get enough of the characters
Majestic, life-changing and intense, Beautiful Graves is a raw and compelling romance that left me breathless, I have no words, made me feel so much at the same time, it was so painfully beautiful, so heartbreaking, I loved it, this unforgettable story will stay with me forever, the author slayed again! 10+ stars!
February 27, 2023
4✨
🫧 Când am citit descrierea cărții( am pus o parte din ea mai sus) m-a făcut instant curioasă pentru că părea a fi diferită față de alte povesti pe care le-am mai citit de la autoare și în mare parte a fost.
🫧Cel mai mult mi-a plăcut faptul că mai bine de jumătate de carte nu am bănuit ce se va întâmpla, iar când am început să mă prind de ceea ce urmează, totuși mi se părea imposibil să fie așa.🫢
🫧Personajele nu prea m-au încântat. Lipsa de maturitate și comunicare a dus la situații exagerate ce puteau fi evitate, dar na… e romance.🫢
Am simțit că e un du-te vino constant si asta a făcut să mă enerveze si mai tare personajul principal feminin.
🫧 Acum știu de ce nu mă omor după trope-ul love triangle😬. Am mai citit câteva cărți cu acest trope, dar aici chiar mi s-a părut ciudată treaba.🫢
Da, chiar este multă dramă și emoției în această poveste, dar cartea te prinde încă de la primele pagini și se citește super repede, de aceea vă recomand să îi dați o șansă.
🫧 Când am citit descrierea cărții( am pus o parte din ea mai sus) m-a făcut instant curioasă pentru că părea a fi diferită față de alte povesti pe care le-am mai citit de la autoare și în mare parte a fost.
🫧Cel mai mult mi-a plăcut faptul că mai bine de jumătate de carte nu am bănuit ce se va întâmpla, iar când am început să mă prind de ceea ce urmează, totuși mi se părea imposibil să fie așa.🫢
🫧Personajele nu prea m-au încântat. Lipsa de maturitate și comunicare a dus la situații exagerate ce puteau fi evitate, dar na… e romance.🫢
Am simțit că e un du-te vino constant si asta a făcut să mă enerveze si mai tare personajul principal feminin.
🫧 Acum știu de ce nu mă omor după trope-ul love triangle😬. Am mai citit câteva cărți cu acest trope, dar aici chiar mi s-a părut ciudată treaba.🫢
Da, chiar este multă dramă și emoției în această poveste, dar cartea te prinde încă de la primele pagini și se citește super repede, de aceea vă recomand să îi dați o șansă.
January 16, 2024
Ако можех щях да ѝ дам минусови звезди... Ама, че купчина боклук! 🥴💩Направо не мога да повярвам, че Шен е способна да напише подобно жалко извинение за книга🤦🏻♀️ Но имайки предвид Bad Cruz трябваше да се досетя, че не е невъзможно. Скоро - пълно ревю 🤓
September 28, 2022
OMG this book about killed me! All the freaking FEELS! My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest the entire time. I cried of course! Ever, Joe and Dom. The emotional heartache each of these characters had been through. And the twists that I definitely didn’t see coming have me strung out. Joe, the love of Ever’s life and Dom, the one that pulled her from her bubble. This love triangle was everything I didn’t know I wanted. I couldn’t put it down.
October 9, 2022
4.22 STARS? Did I read the same book as everyone else? Because this one was just so badly written! This book has taken insta-love to a whole new level. I don’t think the author wrote this or she did but wasn’t herself because she just gave birth or something. This was absolutely terrible. I cannot fathom the high ratings 😱😳
October 29, 2022
3.5 stars
Headlines:
Dramatic triangular shaped romance
Death and grief
Easy reading
I just fancied an easy read and a trip down memory lane with this author. I got the easy reading but I definitely got a suitcase full of drama with it. I'm not always a fan of LJ Shen's work, I don't like bully romances and this wasn't that. It was a tale of three people, friendships, death and grief. It was pretty rich and somewhat immature.
The protagonist was a stuck in a hole of grief and self-blame. She'd ostracised herself from her family and friends. I didn't really buy into her relationship with Dom, I found Dom to be a bit fake and while I didn't see what happened, coming...I knew there was something. Joe was the lingering thought in my mind.
There were a few elements that felt disconnected in the story, the grave designing, the family issues and mother issues but I was glad when I got to the parts that connected the dots.
If you like the dramatic easy romance read type of plot, this one is for you. For me, I enjoyed the ease of it more than the plot but it was fun for the weekend.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities.
Headlines:
Dramatic triangular shaped romance
Death and grief
Easy reading
I just fancied an easy read and a trip down memory lane with this author. I got the easy reading but I definitely got a suitcase full of drama with it. I'm not always a fan of LJ Shen's work, I don't like bully romances and this wasn't that. It was a tale of three people, friendships, death and grief. It was pretty rich and somewhat immature.
The protagonist was a stuck in a hole of grief and self-blame. She'd ostracised herself from her family and friends. I didn't really buy into her relationship with Dom, I found Dom to be a bit fake and while I didn't see what happened, coming...I knew there was something. Joe was the lingering thought in my mind.
There were a few elements that felt disconnected in the story, the grave designing, the family issues and mother issues but I was glad when I got to the parts that connected the dots.
If you like the dramatic easy romance read type of plot, this one is for you. For me, I enjoyed the ease of it more than the plot but it was fun for the weekend.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities.
August 4, 2023
I have only read one other L.J. Shen ( Vicious) and I loved it so much that I was worried that all other books would pale in comparison. Whether it was the stunning cover OR the fact that I liked the main protagonist's name, I cannot really say. But the romance and the angst and the gorgeous writing kept me on the edge of my seat. This story could have gone a million different ways but I ended up really adoring it.
Everlynne and Joe &Everlynne and Dominic- I am not going to say which romance was my favorite because that would just be cruel. What I shall say is this is a beautiful story about love, loss, and forgiveness.
Goodreads review published 04/08/23
Everlynne and Joe &Everlynne and Dominic- I am not going to say which romance was my favorite because that would just be cruel. What I shall say is this is a beautiful story about love, loss, and forgiveness.
Goodreads review published 04/08/23
October 11, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️.75/5
About the book:
Everlynne goes on a trip to Barcelona with her best friend, Pippa, for one last hurrah before they start college. Here she meets Joe and quickly falls in love with him. But as quickly as they get together, they are torn apart by circumstances. Fast forward to 6 years later, Everlynne is riddled with guilt and heartbreak. After spending the last few years merely existing, she was taken aback when full of life, Dominic storms into her life.
Review:
- The anxiety I felt while reading this book was on another level. It made me laugh, devastated, angry, and swoon. This book had it all.
- The love triangle was never truly a love triangle. It was so much more than that. Trust me when I say this book is worth stepping out of your comfort zone.
- There was so much heaviness I felt while reading this book. It tackled the intricacies of love, loss, grief, healing, and conquering your fears.
- Ever made some poor decisions that affected everyone around her. I truly felt for her and all the things she had to face, but she was so caught up in her self-pity that she just stopped living life. I was floored by her character development and how she acknowledged her shortcomings. In the end, I was proud of her.
Read if you like:
- Love triangles
- Insta-love
- Good guy/bad guy
- Kismet love
- Second chances
- Angsty romance
- Small town romance
*Thank you to L.J. Shen for sending me a copy of this book.
🌶️.75/5
About the book:
Everlynne goes on a trip to Barcelona with her best friend, Pippa, for one last hurrah before they start college. Here she meets Joe and quickly falls in love with him. But as quickly as they get together, they are torn apart by circumstances. Fast forward to 6 years later, Everlynne is riddled with guilt and heartbreak. After spending the last few years merely existing, she was taken aback when full of life, Dominic storms into her life.
Review:
- The anxiety I felt while reading this book was on another level. It made me laugh, devastated, angry, and swoon. This book had it all.
- The love triangle was never truly a love triangle. It was so much more than that. Trust me when I say this book is worth stepping out of your comfort zone.
- There was so much heaviness I felt while reading this book. It tackled the intricacies of love, loss, grief, healing, and conquering your fears.
- Ever made some poor decisions that affected everyone around her. I truly felt for her and all the things she had to face, but she was so caught up in her self-pity that she just stopped living life. I was floored by her character development and how she acknowledged her shortcomings. In the end, I was proud of her.
Read if you like:
- Love triangles
- Insta-love
- Good guy/bad guy
- Kismet love
- Second chances
- Angsty romance
- Small town romance
*Thank you to L.J. Shen for sending me a copy of this book.
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