What do you think?
Rate this book
Sinners of Saint #2
Ruckus
They say that life is a beautiful lie and death a painful truth. They're right. No one has ever made me feel more alive than the guy who serves as a constant reminder that my clock is ticking. He is my forbidden, shiny apple. The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth. He is also my sister's ex-boyfriend. One thing you should know before you judge me; I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first. Eleven years later, he waltzes into my life, demanding a second chance. Dean Cole wants to be my bronze horseman. But my clock is ticking. See, I'm not like the rest. I have an illness. Sometimes I conquer it. Sometimes it conquers me. My white knight has finally arrived. Hopefully, he isn't too late.
369 pages, ebook
First published May 23, 2017
10141 people are currently reading
46090 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Shen
80 books54.2k 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,865 reviews
May 23, 2017
5 MOTHER EFFING STARS
Confession time: I was equally ready to part with an ovary to get my grabby little hands on this book and dreading it. I know! I know! Quit looking at me like I'm crazy, I'll splain everything. I was excited as hell for this book because I live for LJ's words. LIVE for them. But a part of me was dreading it because Dean happened to date Rosie's older sister in the previous book, Vicious, and even though their relationship was nothing big and happened when they were young, the last time I read that particular plot device, I absolutely hated it. I should have known better than to doubt the magic that is LJ Shen's writing, though, because not only did she pull it off, she did so FLAWLESSLY.
Dean has always had a thing for the baby LeBlanc sister; ever since he first laid eyes on her as a teenager. But then life happened, and in an effort to protect her older sister, Emilia, from his fellow HotHole Vicious, they began to date...entirely killing his chances with the younger sister. But his obsession with her never ended. Now she's in New York, renting an apartment in the same building as him, and he knows nothing will stop her from having her now...not even her.
In the previous books Dean came off as the fun loving, quick to smile, anything for a good time party boy. It's easy to write him off as a shallow party boy, but boy would you be wrong. This is a man of so many depths, it's incredible. Shen wrote such a multifaceted character with Dean, it's impossible not to lose your heart (and your ovaries) to the man. There's so much beyond the party boy and dirty talker. But let's be fair here, because the dirty talk?
Was.
On.
Point.
Rosie was an amazing heroine. Here's someone dealing with a life-altering illness, yet it doesn't diminish any of her spark. She has sass for days and isn't afraid to put Dean in his place. Constantly. I loved how hard she made him work for it. And boy did he work for it.
I loved the way these two complimented each other. I loved how their individual jagged pieces somehow fit together so effortlessly into something so beautiful and poignant.
Ruckus was everything I'd hoped it would be and yet so much more. It was angsty deliciousness filled with enough chemistry you felt like your fingers will burn just from turning the pages . It was packed full of feeling and so much depth, you can't help but fall into the vortex of the story. It was beautiful. It was tragic.
It.
Was.
Everything.
LJ Shen is a freaking unicorn. Every book she releases is better than her last. If she gets any better at her craft I may have to build her a shrine and stalk her incessantly (at least more than I do now.)
What I'm trying to tell you here is...
Read.
The.
Damn.
Book.
Period.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
Dean Cole was nothing like people pegged him. He was the worst kind of devil. One that hid behind a polite smile, preppy clothes, and good manners.
Confession time: I was equally ready to part with an ovary to get my grabby little hands on this book and dreading it. I know! I know! Quit looking at me like I'm crazy, I'll splain everything. I was excited as hell for this book because I live for LJ's words. LIVE for them. But a part of me was dreading it because Dean happened to date Rosie's older sister in the previous book, Vicious, and even though their relationship was nothing big and happened when they were young, the last time I read that particular plot device, I absolutely hated it. I should have known better than to doubt the magic that is LJ Shen's writing, though, because not only did she pull it off, she did so FLAWLESSLY.
Dean has always had a thing for the baby LeBlanc sister; ever since he first laid eyes on her as a teenager. But then life happened, and in an effort to protect her older sister, Emilia, from his fellow HotHole Vicious, they began to date...entirely killing his chances with the younger sister. But his obsession with her never ended. Now she's in New York, renting an apartment in the same building as him, and he knows nothing will stop her from having her now...not even her.
In the previous books Dean came off as the fun loving, quick to smile, anything for a good time party boy. It's easy to write him off as a shallow party boy, but boy would you be wrong. This is a man of so many depths, it's incredible. Shen wrote such a multifaceted character with Dean, it's impossible not to lose your heart (and your ovaries) to the man. There's so much beyond the party boy and dirty talker. But let's be fair here, because the dirty talk?
Was.
On.
Point.
All-American, fresh-faced, lovely Dean had a very dangerous side, and he allowed me a sneak peek into it.
“You’re…” I stuttered. He tugged at my hair harder for the answer. It was painful, but at the same time, extremely hot.
“Say it, Baby LeBlanc.”
“You’re fucking me.”
“Hell, yeah, I’m fucking you. Feels good?”
“Y—yes.”
“Am I too deep?”
“N—no.”
“Am I too rough?”
“N—no.”
“Good. ’Cause I’m about to be.”
Rosie was an amazing heroine. Here's someone dealing with a life-altering illness, yet it doesn't diminish any of her spark. She has sass for days and isn't afraid to put Dean in his place. Constantly. I loved how hard she made him work for it. And boy did he work for it.
I loved the way these two complimented each other. I loved how their individual jagged pieces somehow fit together so effortlessly into something so beautiful and poignant.
Ruckus was everything I'd hoped it would be and yet so much more. It was angsty deliciousness filled with enough chemistry you felt like your fingers will burn just from turning the pages . It was packed full of feeling and so much depth, you can't help but fall into the vortex of the story. It was beautiful. It was tragic.
It.
Was.
Everything.
LJ Shen is a freaking unicorn. Every book she releases is better than her last. If she gets any better at her craft I may have to build her a shrine and stalk her incessantly (at least more than I do now.)
What I'm trying to tell you here is...
Read.
The.
Damn.
Book.
Period.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
June 1, 2017
Okay... So, I joined the rest of the screaming fans as well
AND
I am really sorry, but I did NOT like the book
When I was reading the story,
...my primary concern was to convince myself that Dean (aka Ruckus) and Rosie fit together. I failed.
...my secondary concern was to convince myself that Rosie has made more sacrifices than Emilia. I failed.
I think that my main issue is that I did not like Rosie. For the majority of the book, I could not stand her bitterness and her jealousy for her older sister Emilia.
Rosie was never independent. Because of her illness, she was depending on her parents when she was a kid; she was depending on her older sister when she was a young adult; and later on she was depending on Vicious’s money and kindness. Before the book finishes, she will depend on Dean’ money.
I never felt even for just one instance that she is grateful for all the love and support the other people give her.
There are thousand of children that suffer from the same illness. A lot of them die really young, because they don’t have enough money to treat it – no matter the sacrifices that their parents are making. I am sure most of them are way more grateful to the people who support them.
Her strength could have been inspiring. Her love of life could have been touching and positively affecting for the readers. Instead Rosie only came across as an ungrateful bitch. At least for me.
I don’t have many comments for Dean. He is just averagely satisfactory. He is like the most man-sluts that I normaly read in the books. I did not see much depth. He definitely does not compare to the deliciously unique deep darkness of Vicious or the deliciously unique playfulness of Jamie.
There are a few twists in the book.
-The first major twist about a secret that Dean is hiding has made the book more appealing to me.
-The second major twist about a secret Dean’s perfect family is hiding from him has shocked me, but I believe it made no sense the way his father has handle things.
-The third major twist in the end of the book is very nice and joyful but I think twists like this can only be happen in the Bible. And I don’t believe Rosie or/and Dean are very religious persons.
Anyway… before the book even finished, I felt the need to defend Vicious and Emilia. They had such a distorted image in this book – especially Emilia. That was not my girl!
This is the reason I have decided to upgrade my rating for book Vicious from 4 to 5 stars.
I strongly believe that book “Ruckus” has only made the book “Vicious” stand out more.
AND
I am really sorry, but I did NOT like the book
When I was reading the story,
...my primary concern was to convince myself that Dean (aka Ruckus) and Rosie fit together. I failed.
...my secondary concern was to convince myself that Rosie has made more sacrifices than Emilia. I failed.
I think that my main issue is that I did not like Rosie. For the majority of the book, I could not stand her bitterness and her jealousy for her older sister Emilia.
Rosie was never independent. Because of her illness, she was depending on her parents when she was a kid; she was depending on her older sister when she was a young adult; and later on she was depending on Vicious’s money and kindness. Before the book finishes, she will depend on Dean’ money.
I never felt even for just one instance that she is grateful for all the love and support the other people give her.
There are thousand of children that suffer from the same illness. A lot of them die really young, because they don’t have enough money to treat it – no matter the sacrifices that their parents are making. I am sure most of them are way more grateful to the people who support them.
Her strength could have been inspiring. Her love of life could have been touching and positively affecting for the readers. Instead Rosie only came across as an ungrateful bitch. At least for me.
I don’t have many comments for Dean. He is just averagely satisfactory. He is like the most man-sluts that I normaly read in the books. I did not see much depth. He definitely does not compare to the deliciously unique deep darkness of Vicious or the deliciously unique playfulness of Jamie.
There are a few twists in the book.
-The first major twist about a secret that Dean is hiding has made the book more appealing to me.
-The second major twist about a secret Dean’s perfect family is hiding from him has shocked me, but I believe it made no sense the way his father has handle things.
-The third major twist in the end of the book is very nice and joyful but I think twists like this can only be happen in the Bible. And I don’t believe Rosie or/and Dean are very religious persons.
Anyway… before the book even finished, I felt the need to defend Vicious and Emilia. They had such a distorted image in this book – especially Emilia. That was not my girl!
This is the reason I have decided to upgrade my rating for book Vicious from 4 to 5 stars.
I strongly believe that book “Ruckus” has only made the book “Vicious” stand out more.
July 2, 2017
The second book in the 'Sinners of Saint' series, 'Ruckus' tells the story of Dean Cole and Rosie LeBlanc. I was a little weary going into this book because of Dean's history with Rosie's older sister. I wasn't sure that was something that I was going to be able to get past. Fortunately, I did.
Dean Cole is a hard-partying, manwhore. He is one of the hotholes and is used to getting everything he wants. If he was a spoiled rich kid in high school, he has only gotten worse as a grown man. His life is one of excess to the extreme.
Yet, the one thing that he wants most is the one thing that continues to allude him -- Rosie, aka "little LeBlanc". Dean knows that he irreparably damaged his chances with Rosie when he dated her sister in high school. He knew all along that he was with the wrong sister, but didn't do anything about it before it was too late. Now, he's hell-bent on proving himself to Rosie.
No matter how hard Rosie tries to live a "normal" life, she cannot forget that she is seriously ill. Growing up with Cystic Fibrosis, her entire life revolves around her medical care, as do the lives of everyone in her family. It has been a long time since she felt like she was a real person and not just her diagnosis.
As much as Rosie wants to be "normal", she is perfectly aware of her prognosis. She will die young and will most likely never bear children. For these reasons, she pushes others away before they get too close. She doesn't want to begin a relationship that is doomed from the start, leaving heartache in her wake.
Rosie has perfected the art of shutting others out. She tells herself it is for their own good and she's never regretted it. The only exception is Dean Cole, the guy she has always fantasized about but could never have.
Rosie and Dean have a long history of taboo flirtation and stolen moments. She loves her sister, but she felt like Dean was hers from the first time she laid eyes on him. When he chose her sister, it broke her heart. Even though her sister has moved on, marrying one of Dean's best friends, Rosie feels like crossing that line would be a betrayal.
Now, Rosie and Dean are both grown and living in New York City. To make matters more complicated, Rosie lives in Dean's building and witnesses his sexual exploits first-hand. Of course, he plans to use his position as her landlord to bend Rosie to his will.
When the two travel home for Vicious and Emilia's wedding, the sexual frustration is at an all-time high between these two. Over the course of a few weeks, their relationship grows far more intimate and they become inseparable. Despite everything working against them, they decide to give a relationship a shot.
However, their relationship is anything but smooth sailing. Dean has some major demons that he's fighting. Rosie's health poses it's own set of risks. Both of them have a lot of work to do on themselves before they can make a relationship work.
All in all, I thought that this was a great read. Rosie and Dean were perfect for one another, despite his past with her sister. I expected it to be a much bigger deal in this book than it ended up being. Although that seemed to be a little inconsistent with his reaction to Emilia and Vicious' relationship in the first book, I just went with it. This story was hot and with just enough angst to keep me emotionally engaged.
Dean Cole is a hard-partying, manwhore. He is one of the hotholes and is used to getting everything he wants. If he was a spoiled rich kid in high school, he has only gotten worse as a grown man. His life is one of excess to the extreme.
Yet, the one thing that he wants most is the one thing that continues to allude him -- Rosie, aka "little LeBlanc". Dean knows that he irreparably damaged his chances with Rosie when he dated her sister in high school. He knew all along that he was with the wrong sister, but didn't do anything about it before it was too late. Now, he's hell-bent on proving himself to Rosie.
No matter how hard Rosie tries to live a "normal" life, she cannot forget that she is seriously ill. Growing up with Cystic Fibrosis, her entire life revolves around her medical care, as do the lives of everyone in her family. It has been a long time since she felt like she was a real person and not just her diagnosis.
As much as Rosie wants to be "normal", she is perfectly aware of her prognosis. She will die young and will most likely never bear children. For these reasons, she pushes others away before they get too close. She doesn't want to begin a relationship that is doomed from the start, leaving heartache in her wake.
Rosie has perfected the art of shutting others out. She tells herself it is for their own good and she's never regretted it. The only exception is Dean Cole, the guy she has always fantasized about but could never have.
Rosie and Dean have a long history of taboo flirtation and stolen moments. She loves her sister, but she felt like Dean was hers from the first time she laid eyes on him. When he chose her sister, it broke her heart. Even though her sister has moved on, marrying one of Dean's best friends, Rosie feels like crossing that line would be a betrayal.
Now, Rosie and Dean are both grown and living in New York City. To make matters more complicated, Rosie lives in Dean's building and witnesses his sexual exploits first-hand. Of course, he plans to use his position as her landlord to bend Rosie to his will.
When the two travel home for Vicious and Emilia's wedding, the sexual frustration is at an all-time high between these two. Over the course of a few weeks, their relationship grows far more intimate and they become inseparable. Despite everything working against them, they decide to give a relationship a shot.
However, their relationship is anything but smooth sailing. Dean has some major demons that he's fighting. Rosie's health poses it's own set of risks. Both of them have a lot of work to do on themselves before they can make a relationship work.
All in all, I thought that this was a great read. Rosie and Dean were perfect for one another, despite his past with her sister. I expected it to be a much bigger deal in this book than it ended up being. Although that seemed to be a little inconsistent with his reaction to Emilia and Vicious' relationship in the first book, I just went with it. This story was hot and with just enough angst to keep me emotionally engaged.
dnf
February 14, 2019DNF @ 38%
I’m bored.
I don’t really like or dislike enough to like any of the characters.
I don’t really see that changing.
I have no interest in investing anymore time.
Bummer. Oh well.
XXXXXXX
Didn't particularly love book one, but I'm determined to love an LJ Shen book...and this is available via KU...so why not, right?
I’m bored.
I don’t really like or dislike enough to like any of the characters.
I don’t really see that changing.
I have no interest in investing anymore time.
Bummer. Oh well.
XXXXXXX
Didn't particularly love book one, but I'm determined to love an LJ Shen book...and this is available via KU...so why not, right?
July 5, 2017
Judging by the reviews: Highly unpopular opinion and massive, massive spoiler alert!
1.5 stars
Edit 05/26: Actually, thinking about the whole teenage timeline, I've realised that a lot of the first book's part, Vicious, was cheapened to make Dean's decisions make look better and endear him to the reader. Too bad that the characters of the first book had to take a hit for that. This just deepens my dislike of this book.
********************************************
I don't even know where to start.
A positive thing first: I didn't hate this book. I've read far worse books than this one.
But that's about it. This book felt shallow, from start to finish with all its main and secondary characters and all the topics it covered. Too many hard topics put together and thus not handled with enough care.
As Ruckus is highly connected to the previous book, Vicious, I'll most likely be drawing a lot of parallels. Despite the criticisms I had with Vicious (inconsistencies, high teenage drama, OTT hero), I was fascinated by how well the author could tell the story. So much so that I couldn't put it down. I didn't care much for the hero, Vicious, (I never do with overly possessive and bossy heroes) but I liked Emilia well enough. When it was clear that Ruckus would cover Emilia's sister, Rosie and Emilia's first boyfriend and Vicious' best friend Dean, I wasn't bothered in the slightest. Yeah, the whole 'my sister's ex-boyfriend' is weird but they were teenagers and hormonal teenagers are not necessarily known for their mature decision making. Not that I expected a highly engaging and emotionally deep romance, but at least good entertainment. So I went into reading Ruckus relaxed and open-minded.
I was also not bothered that Rosie and Dean's first encounter (not their first ever encounter. I'll get to that in a bit) in the book happens in an elevator where he has two women with him he is going to shag. Not that I was doing a
when Rosie knocks on Dean's door the next morning whilst he's getting a blowjob, but still, they're not officially together so anything goes.
This book pushed all the wrong buttons for me nonetheless. It irked me. I don't mark books often and usually only those I enjoy a lot so I won't forget the swoonworthy moments. By the 70% mark of Ruckus, however, I ended up marking and only noting 'yikes'. I had abandoned writing full sentences and reasoning. I knew, looking at the marked passages I'd know why I had marked it in the first place.
This book is an accumulation of repetitions. How fucking hot Dean is, his abs, his face, his 'fuck y'all' attitude, how rich he is, how little money means to him, his ability to shag any woman inManhatten the world, how much every woman wanted to claim him for herself. It's being hammered into the reader, just in case I didn't get it.
To say it was tiresome is a slight understatement. It was mentioned so often that it started to irk me.
Have I also mentioned yet that Dean is all about his dick and making Rosie come? No? Well, let me showcase it:
Soooo...we have singing pussies (I even read this scene to my husband and we were in tears), comments about bleeding tits and torn assholes...and a heroine masturbating at the thought of Dean fucking the other women. I kid you not. Obviously, she is disgusted by herself, but hey, I'm the unsuspecting reader here!!!!! I don't want to feel disgusted either. Not that I was disgusted with Rosie - definitely confused though - but disgusted about the scene. In another scene, Dean picks up his friend Trent from the airport and
Suffice it to say that any attempts made by the author to convince me of their romance were futile. Sorry, but just no. Although general statements like 'I'm going to fuck you hard and deep' and 'You're mine' blablabla are not uncommon in many CR - especially NA's - the combination of choice of phrases and scenes made it impossible for me to connect to either Rosie or Dean.
Moving on.
So how did the author try to convince me of the special snowflake like relationship between Rosie and Dean, apart from the usual 'you're my star, you're my everything' yadda yadda?
Hang on...
Wait....
Waaaaiiiiit......
High five! We're firmly in NA land!
Like Vicious, Ruckus is told in two timelines. One is the High School time where Rosie and Dean first meet. It's insta-love. It just is, and both know they've found the person. But teenagers being teenagers, stupid decisions are made, and even if they influence the present day, it's not something I will dwell on. Teenage drama is teenage drama is teenage drama.
The second timeline is obviously the here and now. It actually starts in Vicious but as it's only hinted at, their story takes off right here.
Rosie suffers from cystic fibrosis; treatable to a certain extent, but not curable. We learn all about the possible life expectancy. Right from the get go I knew where this particular line would lead: With Rosie in hospital, fighting for her life. I don't mind when authors use illnesses as part of their stories. It's part of life, after all. And of course it's not comfortable to see how a character struggles with the thought that she may actually die at any time. Is self-pity permitted? Again, yes, of course. She's young (28) and finds it hard to commit herself to anything or anyone because of it. But, oh my, the pity-party-trip was strong with this one. Each chapter from Rosie's PoV started with a What makes you feel alive and then Rosie's current thoughts on what makes her feel alive. I must be an unfeeling bitch to have felt nothing though. Nothing! Null! Nada! This whole thing was shoved down my throat because
Waaaaiiiit...
But that isn't enough drama, folks. If you thought we could get away with one major piece of drama, you're thoroughly mistaken. We still have Dean, the sex god (referred to exactly like that by Rosie)
No, I do not find you hot, Dean! You are the opposite of hot. But I've said this already. (I'm not a big fan of Ryan Gosling either, by the way)
Dean was adopted after his biological mother left him in a toilet cube at Walmart. Turns out his adoptive mother is actually his real aunt. Nina is the mother from hell. Crackhead, without morals, evil...You get the picture. She taunts him with the identity of his biological father, but only if he pays her shit loads of money.
This is where the story completely derailed. His biological father is actually his adoptive father. He, like Dean, has an addiction problem. So cystic fibrosis, abandonment issues, adoption and now addiction. The list of tragic situations (aka drama) is truly endless. So one night, dead drunk, his father comes home and shags his wife. Next morning, however, he realises that he had shagged his wife's sister instead.
Confused? It gets better!!
Fast forward a few years, Dean's father has cleaned up his act, sober and all, his mother has forgiven him, and because little Dean knows about his biological mother, he's desperate to spend time with Nina. Nina, supposedly also clean, let's him come stay with her over the summer months. And, what do you know, his parents consent to this, utter morons that they are. Seriously, think about it? They've already experienced first-hand what kind of a person Nina is. I can understand little Dean's wish, but who is so totally dim-witted to let their kid spend months, months, with someone like Nina? Who would do that? It doesn't matter if said person sobered up, and yes, everyone deserves a second chance, but we're talking about little Dean here! A child. He can get to know his biological mother once he reaches his majority.
Sigh! It comes as no surprise that not only did this turn into a total fiasco because Nina is incapable of loving her son. No, that isn't drama enough! She, and her husband, are such a bad influence that Dean's addiction problems start right there. Well done, parents of Dean! Or should I say 'Well done, Miss author' because that made no sense at all.
Still reading? I'm not finished just yet, sorry.
Let's get to Rosie and Dean. It's clear by now that they left me cold and uncaring. The teenage timeline is actually emotionally better than the present one. There was quite a bit of outrage going on when it was made known that Dean would be paired with Rosie. This is where I have to refer to Vicious again. A lot of people were pissed off that Dean dated Emilia (Rosie's sister) although he knew that his best friend, Vicious, was after her and Emilia was also all over Vicious, at least emotionally. I had no such strong feelings whilst reading Vicious; a) it was teenage drama and b) Vicious got what he deserved. You'll have to read the book to understand what I mean. Obviously, many other readers would beg to differ, but hey, that's how I took it.
So we have the teenagers in the teenage timeline, and then we have teenagers in the grown-up timeline. Honestly, I didn't see much of a difference. All I was told was that they'd loved each other ever since they first met. Their emotional growth
is constantly interrupted by external drama (cystic fibrosis, Trent, Nina, etc). Emilia who loves Dean but acts as if she doesn't
goes from 'fuck off' to 'fuck me' in a matter of two days. We are then treated to the usual push/pull ('I'll fuck you again and you know it, Rosie', 'No, you won't' - not a direct quote, but you get my meaning) to 'Let's take this to the next level and move together' so abruptly (see ongoing external drama)
that I never understood what bonded them together again - after 10 years apart - in the first place. All the declarations of love and commitment fell totally flat for me. Vicious was by far the superior book as it had one kick-ass heroine and one hard-grovelling hero. Ruckus, on the other hand, had a last chapter right before the epilogue that was so
that I actually burst out laughing again, like with the 'singing pussy' line. Rosie was about to die because of Dean's mistake, and here I couldn't help but laugh. I mean, the words 'soap opera' were mentioned once or twice in the story in a throw-away manner, but oh yes, this was super-duper soap opera here. It would give 'Empire' a run for its money!
Just so you know. Of course she doesn't die.
Most of my GR friends are wary of NA and Ruckus is a prime example of why. Too bad the author decided to cram as much drama into her story as possible. It was not only convoluted but a missed opportunity because this author is good at storytelling, however much she loves drama. In this case, she seemed to have loved it too much.
As I said in the beginning, I didn't hate this book. It irked me, but I didn't hate it. So I wondered what rating I should give but looking at some of my 2-star-rated books and I can't justify giving this a two stars. They are far superior.
1.5 stars
Edit 05/26: Actually, thinking about the whole teenage timeline, I've realised that a lot of the first book's part, Vicious, was cheapened to make Dean's decisions make look better and endear him to the reader. Too bad that the characters of the first book had to take a hit for that. This just deepens my dislike of this book.
********************************************
I don't even know where to start.
A positive thing first: I didn't hate this book. I've read far worse books than this one.
But that's about it. This book felt shallow, from start to finish with all its main and secondary characters and all the topics it covered. Too many hard topics put together and thus not handled with enough care.
As Ruckus is highly connected to the previous book, Vicious, I'll most likely be drawing a lot of parallels. Despite the criticisms I had with Vicious (inconsistencies, high teenage drama, OTT hero), I was fascinated by how well the author could tell the story. So much so that I couldn't put it down. I didn't care much for the hero, Vicious, (I never do with overly possessive and bossy heroes) but I liked Emilia well enough. When it was clear that Ruckus would cover Emilia's sister, Rosie and Emilia's first boyfriend and Vicious' best friend Dean, I wasn't bothered in the slightest. Yeah, the whole 'my sister's ex-boyfriend' is weird but they were teenagers and hormonal teenagers are not necessarily known for their mature decision making. Not that I expected a highly engaging and emotionally deep romance, but at least good entertainment. So I went into reading Ruckus relaxed and open-minded.
I was also not bothered that Rosie and Dean's first encounter (not their first ever encounter. I'll get to that in a bit) in the book happens in an elevator where he has two women with him he is going to shag. Not that I was doing a
when Rosie knocks on Dean's door the next morning whilst he's getting a blowjob, but still, they're not officially together so anything goes.
This book pushed all the wrong buttons for me nonetheless. It irked me. I don't mark books often and usually only those I enjoy a lot so I won't forget the swoonworthy moments. By the 70% mark of Ruckus, however, I ended up marking and only noting 'yikes'. I had abandoned writing full sentences and reasoning. I knew, looking at the marked passages I'd know why I had marked it in the first place.
This book is an accumulation of repetitions. How fucking hot Dean is, his abs, his face, his 'fuck y'all' attitude, how rich he is, how little money means to him, his ability to shag any woman in
To say it was tiresome is a slight understatement. It was mentioned so often that it started to irk me.
Have I also mentioned yet that Dean is all about his dick and making Rosie come? No? Well, let me showcase it:
“What matters is what you need. I have it, Rosie. And one day— we both know— I will give it to you. In spades.”These quotes are just from the first 20% and are only a fraction of what Dean has to say. Sexual tension was non-existent. Considering the build-up to their story, their first sex scene couldn't have been more anti-climatic. That reminds me, I found all sex scenes uninspiring and just plain boring.
**********
“You want neighborly? I can buy you breakfast at the bakery downstairs and give you a few orgasms for dessert,” I said, adding, “And I can tear you another asshole in bed if you prefer.”
**********
“You, in my bed, playing with my balls as I suck your tits until they bleed. Maybe jerk me off. Just as an appetizer, obviously. The main course will be better, but you’ll have to see for yourself."
**********
“Just so you know, Baby LeBlanc, I am going to fuck you sometime soon,” [...] “It may not be this week— it may not even be this month, but it will happen. And once it does, you’ll have to face your fears and tell your saint sister that we are together, or I will. Because once I fuck you, no one else will be enough for you. Ever. Again. So I’m just going to tell you right here and now, you’re welcome to my dick anytime you want, any hour of the day. I see us as a long-term thing, so it’s important to me to keep you happy.”
Soooo...we have singing pussies (I even read this scene to my husband and we were in tears), comments about bleeding tits and torn assholes...and a heroine masturbating at the thought of Dean fucking the other women. I kid you not. Obviously, she is disgusted by herself, but hey, I'm the unsuspecting reader here!!!!! I don't want to feel disgusted either. Not that I was disgusted with Rosie - definitely confused though - but disgusted about the scene. In another scene, Dean picks up his friend Trent from the airport and
I double-parked directly in front of the arrival gate and tipped my Ray-Bans down, checking out the herd of flight attendants in blue uniform that crossed the road in front of me.By this stage, Rosie and Dean had fucked a couple of times and Dean had told her she was it for him. Errrrm...All of this is like a big, fucking 'Noooohoooo!' Or like this:
Suffice it to say that any attempts made by the author to convince me of their romance were futile. Sorry, but just no. Although general statements like 'I'm going to fuck you hard and deep' and 'You're mine' blablabla are not uncommon in many CR - especially NA's - the combination of choice of phrases and scenes made it impossible for me to connect to either Rosie or Dean.
Moving on.
So how did the author try to convince me of the special snowflake like relationship between Rosie and Dean, apart from the usual 'you're my star, you're my everything' yadda yadda?
Hang on...
Wait....
Waaaaiiiiit......
High five! We're firmly in NA land!
Like Vicious, Ruckus is told in two timelines. One is the High School time where Rosie and Dean first meet. It's insta-love. It just is, and both know they've found the person. But teenagers being teenagers, stupid decisions are made, and even if they influence the present day, it's not something I will dwell on. Teenage drama is teenage drama is teenage drama.
The second timeline is obviously the here and now. It actually starts in Vicious but as it's only hinted at, their story takes off right here.
Rosie suffers from cystic fibrosis; treatable to a certain extent, but not curable. We learn all about the possible life expectancy. Right from the get go I knew where this particular line would lead: With Rosie in hospital, fighting for her life. I don't mind when authors use illnesses as part of their stories. It's part of life, after all. And of course it's not comfortable to see how a character struggles with the thought that she may actually die at any time. Is self-pity permitted? Again, yes, of course. She's young (28) and finds it hard to commit herself to anything or anyone because of it. But, oh my, the pity-party-trip was strong with this one. Each chapter from Rosie's PoV started with a What makes you feel alive and then Rosie's current thoughts on what makes her feel alive. I must be an unfeeling bitch to have felt nothing though. Nothing! Null! Nada! This whole thing was shoved down my throat because
Waaaaiiiit...
But that isn't enough drama, folks. If you thought we could get away with one major piece of drama, you're thoroughly mistaken. We still have Dean, the sex god (referred to exactly like that by Rosie)
No, I do not find you hot, Dean! You are the opposite of hot. But I've said this already. (I'm not a big fan of Ryan Gosling either, by the way)
Dean was adopted after his biological mother left him in a toilet cube at Walmart. Turns out his adoptive mother is actually his real aunt. Nina is the mother from hell. Crackhead, without morals, evil...You get the picture. She taunts him with the identity of his biological father, but only if he pays her shit loads of money.
This is where the story completely derailed. His biological father is actually his adoptive father. He, like Dean, has an addiction problem. So cystic fibrosis, abandonment issues, adoption and now addiction. The list of tragic situations (aka drama) is truly endless. So one night, dead drunk, his father comes home and shags his wife. Next morning, however, he realises that he had shagged his wife's sister instead.
Confused? It gets better!!
Fast forward a few years, Dean's father has cleaned up his act, sober and all, his mother has forgiven him, and because little Dean knows about his biological mother, he's desperate to spend time with Nina. Nina, supposedly also clean, let's him come stay with her over the summer months. And, what do you know, his parents consent to this, utter morons that they are. Seriously, think about it? They've already experienced first-hand what kind of a person Nina is. I can understand little Dean's wish, but who is so totally dim-witted to let their kid spend months, months, with someone like Nina? Who would do that? It doesn't matter if said person sobered up, and yes, everyone deserves a second chance, but we're talking about little Dean here! A child. He can get to know his biological mother once he reaches his majority.
Sigh! It comes as no surprise that not only did this turn into a total fiasco because Nina is incapable of loving her son. No, that isn't drama enough! She, and her husband, are such a bad influence that Dean's addiction problems start right there. Well done, parents of Dean! Or should I say 'Well done, Miss author' because that made no sense at all.
Still reading? I'm not finished just yet, sorry.
Let's get to Rosie and Dean. It's clear by now that they left me cold and uncaring. The teenage timeline is actually emotionally better than the present one. There was quite a bit of outrage going on when it was made known that Dean would be paired with Rosie. This is where I have to refer to Vicious again. A lot of people were pissed off that Dean dated Emilia (Rosie's sister) although he knew that his best friend, Vicious, was after her and Emilia was also all over Vicious, at least emotionally. I had no such strong feelings whilst reading Vicious; a) it was teenage drama and b) Vicious got what he deserved. You'll have to read the book to understand what I mean. Obviously, many other readers would beg to differ, but hey, that's how I took it.
So we have the teenagers in the teenage timeline, and then we have teenagers in the grown-up timeline. Honestly, I didn't see much of a difference. All I was told was that they'd loved each other ever since they first met. Their emotional growth
is constantly interrupted by external drama (cystic fibrosis, Trent, Nina, etc). Emilia who loves Dean but acts as if she doesn't
goes from 'fuck off' to 'fuck me' in a matter of two days. We are then treated to the usual push/pull ('I'll fuck you again and you know it, Rosie', 'No, you won't' - not a direct quote, but you get my meaning) to 'Let's take this to the next level and move together' so abruptly (see ongoing external drama)
that I never understood what bonded them together again - after 10 years apart - in the first place. All the declarations of love and commitment fell totally flat for me. Vicious was by far the superior book as it had one kick-ass heroine and one hard-grovelling hero. Ruckus, on the other hand, had a last chapter right before the epilogue that was so
that I actually burst out laughing again, like with the 'singing pussy' line. Rosie was about to die because of Dean's mistake, and here I couldn't help but laugh. I mean, the words 'soap opera' were mentioned once or twice in the story in a throw-away manner, but oh yes, this was super-duper soap opera here. It would give 'Empire' a run for its money!
Just so you know. Of course she doesn't die.
Most of my GR friends are wary of NA and Ruckus is a prime example of why. Too bad the author decided to cram as much drama into her story as possible. It was not only convoluted but a missed opportunity because this author is good at storytelling, however much she loves drama. In this case, she seemed to have loved it too much.
As I said in the beginning, I didn't hate this book. It irked me, but I didn't hate it. So I wondered what rating I should give but looking at some of my 2-star-rated books and I can't justify giving this a two stars. They are far superior.
August 1, 2017
5 stars!!!
Ruckus is the second book in Shen’s ‘Sinner’s of Saint’ series, the third if you count the novella… and by far my FAVORITE. Dean and Rosie’s story was so much more than I thought it would be and I loved it to pieces! I expected to enjoy it, as I enjoyed the others before it, but I didn’t expect it to effect me like this. It was the perfect mix of emotional and sexy, and I loved every moment!
Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole is one of the four ‘Hotholes’. He’s the funny one, the party animal, the manwhore. But there is so much more to Dean than that. Dean is the way he is for a reason. There are things about him no one knows, even his best friends, that have shaped him into the man he is today. His bad habits are all there for a reason. As a grown man, Dean has everything he could ever want. Everything except Rosie LeBlanc, the only woman he’s truly wanted.
Rosie is the baby of her family, and has always been babied even more because of her illness. She has CF, and because of that, her family has always been worried about her. All Rosie has ever wanted is to live her own life. Live life to the fullest, and do it on her own terms. She’s living in NYC and getting to do what she wants, but she knows she’ll never get everything. Rosie is a lot of things, but she’s not selfish. She knows getting involved with anyone would be just that. Selfish. She probably won’t live past her 40’s and she’s not taking someone she cares about down with her.
Rosie and Dean have a bit of a back story… and it’s a bit forbidden. You see, Rosie’s sister Millie, and Dean dated back in high school. That makes Dean off limits to her. Rosie has always wanted Dean. Always. And Dean has always wanted Rosie, even when he was with Millie. He made that very clear. Now that Millie is getting married, maybe, just maybe these two can make this work…
Rosie is a new favorite heroine of mine. I completely adored her. She stole the show for me. She made this book. She’s strong and selfless, and completely lovable. Dean was also amazing. I love a good broken hero, and Dean is so much more broken then what meets the eye. I loved how the two of them were together. Ruckus and baby LeBlanc. Sigh. There were so many fantastic moments between them. Moments that made me feel and tear up, and also moments that were hot as sin! I mean, Dean Cole is one helluva dirty talker!
Ruckus is one of those books that caught me by surprise, and I mean that in the best way possible. I loved everything about this book! Highly recommend this one!
“Stars also symbolize the cycle of life, solitude and gravity. They glow in the dark energy that’s the majority of space, and remind us that even in the pitch black, there’s always something that can shine.”
Ruckus is the second book in Shen’s ‘Sinner’s of Saint’ series, the third if you count the novella… and by far my FAVORITE. Dean and Rosie’s story was so much more than I thought it would be and I loved it to pieces! I expected to enjoy it, as I enjoyed the others before it, but I didn’t expect it to effect me like this. It was the perfect mix of emotional and sexy, and I loved every moment!
Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole is one of the four ‘Hotholes’. He’s the funny one, the party animal, the manwhore. But there is so much more to Dean than that. Dean is the way he is for a reason. There are things about him no one knows, even his best friends, that have shaped him into the man he is today. His bad habits are all there for a reason. As a grown man, Dean has everything he could ever want. Everything except Rosie LeBlanc, the only woman he’s truly wanted.
Rose LeBlanc got her name for a reason. She was full of fucking thorns. She was so beautiful—so ridiculously, unbelievably alluring—that just like real roses, she grew little spikes to protect herself. Because everyone wanted to have her.
Rosie is the baby of her family, and has always been babied even more because of her illness. She has CF, and because of that, her family has always been worried about her. All Rosie has ever wanted is to live her own life. Live life to the fullest, and do it on her own terms. She’s living in NYC and getting to do what she wants, but she knows she’ll never get everything. Rosie is a lot of things, but she’s not selfish. She knows getting involved with anyone would be just that. Selfish. She probably won’t live past her 40’s and she’s not taking someone she cares about down with her.
Rosie and Dean have a bit of a back story… and it’s a bit forbidden. You see, Rosie’s sister Millie, and Dean dated back in high school. That makes Dean off limits to her. Rosie has always wanted Dean. Always. And Dean has always wanted Rosie, even when he was with Millie. He made that very clear. Now that Millie is getting married, maybe, just maybe these two can make this work…
Love felt like dipping each other in gasoline and burning together. Love felt like dancing with madness in the dark. Love felt like gasping for air when your lungs were already full.
Rosie is a new favorite heroine of mine. I completely adored her. She stole the show for me. She made this book. She’s strong and selfless, and completely lovable. Dean was also amazing. I love a good broken hero, and Dean is so much more broken then what meets the eye. I loved how the two of them were together. Ruckus and baby LeBlanc. Sigh. There were so many fantastic moments between them. Moments that made me feel and tear up, and also moments that were hot as sin! I mean, Dean Cole is one helluva dirty talker!
Ruckus is one of those books that caught me by surprise, and I mean that in the best way possible. I loved everything about this book! Highly recommend this one!
April 7, 2018
Remember to follow all things messy. . .
Subcribe/Listen to my podcast
January 29, 2021
1.) Vicious ★★★★
This was enjoyable for the most part; I think I just really don't like Dean whatsoever. I was just side-eyeing so much. And this epilogue? Lord, help us all.
Trigger and Content Warnings: underage drinking in the past, blackmailing, shitty parents, talk of death, talk of domestic abuse, panic attacks, talk of childhood abandonment and neglect, alcoholism, drug use, talk of mascaraing.
Blog | Instagram | Youtube | Ko-fi | Spotify | Twitch
This was enjoyable for the most part; I think I just really don't like Dean whatsoever. I was just side-eyeing so much. And this epilogue? Lord, help us all.
Trigger and Content Warnings: underage drinking in the past, blackmailing, shitty parents, talk of death, talk of domestic abuse, panic attacks, talk of childhood abandonment and neglect, alcoholism, drug use, talk of mascaraing.
Blog | Instagram | Youtube | Ko-fi | Spotify | Twitch
September 27, 2017
Please check how honestly, clearly and beautifully my friend MissDemanour explained what is disturbing in Dean & Rosie's book RUCKUS. Hers is the best review I have read on this book.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
***********************************************
My revised review on RUCKUS: (3 out of 2,5)
I needed to reread certain parts of this book and revise my initial review because Ms Shen messed with my mind in this book and so many things were bugging me!
I must confess that I was never one of those readers who didn’t want to read this book because of dating the two sisters thing.
I have always been the reader who was pissed at Dean for dating the girl Vicious had an obsession with and taking her virginity (knowing his close friend Vicious would be devastated).
That has always been my main issue with Dean.
And it hasn't changed at all after "Ruckus" although Ms Shen has tried hard to make us get pissed at Vicious and Emilia in this book.
My loyalty is and will always be to VICIOUS and his girl, Emilia :)))
***********************************************
This book reveals pieces of information that we didn’t know in Vicious, but they don't cause relief at all because they don’t feel like truth revealed.
They feel like truth/facts that we read in “Vicious” have now been modified and altered so that we like Rosie and Dean and approve their relationship. It feels as if the writer is trying to make us believe that it has always been Dean for Rosie and it has always been Rosie for Dean.
Scenes such as Dean looking at Rosie with lust in his eyes while kissing Emilia or Dean taking Rosie’s sister’s virginity while loving Rosie all the while didn't help me to accept their love, at all. On the contrary, they creeped the hell out of me.
***********************************************
In “Vicious”, it was Emilia who was doing a lot of sacrifice for her sister’s health and well-being but here Emilia is portrayed as someone to be pissed at. I resented this effort.
The explanation of Dean for trying to be the “good guy” who wanted to protect Emilia from Vicious’s cruel attacks was bullshit because you don’t need to date & f*ck the girl to do that.
You can still date her sister Rosie, (who in this book seems to be the one you want whereas what we believed in Vicious was that you were genuienly interested in Emilia), and still help and protect your girlfriend’s sister.
***********************************************
The character and intentions of Dean in the previous book contradicts the ones in Ruckus. And it is not a “perception difference”, it feels like "changing facts and characters".
I wish Ms Shen had chosen to make it another way, such as maybe Dean growing interest in Rosie afterwards, I mean after some years but not f*cking her sister while lusting for Rosie all along.
***********************************************
While reading Ruckus, I wanted to forget about my dislike for Dean and really tried hard to love and accept Dean and Rosie.
I tried not to be prejudiced and I tried not to wrong the book’s value.
Ruckus is technically so well-written with so many touching dialogues that one may easily get lost in their “epic” story !!!
Even myself, although I couldn’t love the book as much as I did “Vicious”, I myself gave it 4 stars out of 3,5 initially all because of this successful writing.
However, the more I thought about it, the more the things that I tried to ignore bothered me and I had to face them all.
***********************************************
The past
In this book, we learn that Dean met Rosie minutes before Emilia accepted his dating offer. Dean saw Rosie when she opened the door and instantly, he felt something very strong for her, he even felt she was the one he should date. Rosie also felt the same for him but then, minutes after this exchange of feelings, Emilia came out of the house and said she wanted to date with him. (He had previously asked her out before meeting Rosie).
So, what did Dean do?
Did he say it was too late because he was now interested in someone else?
No.
Did he date Emilia?
Yes.
What did Rosie do?
Well, she pushed Dean towards her sister, feeling guilty for wanting Dean and Dean didn’t resist much at all.
By being with Emilia, Dean also wants to protect her from Vicious and that's why he dates Emilia while he lusts for and thinks about Rosie all the time.
Does this make sense to you? Because it doesn't make much sense to me!
In the previous book, Dean seemed to like Emilia genuinely whereas in this book, Emilia is portrayed as someone who goes in between Rosie & Dean.
The following excerpt may give you an idea how sick it feels:
At first, he assured me that he wasn’t touching her. After I told him that he should touch her, he got really mad. Nowadays, he was going out with her and acting like it—kissing her, God, I heard them just the other day—even though his eyes were on me. Always on me.
Maybe it was Vicious who started all this mess at the very beginning but I believe that Dean contributed to that tangled mess a great deal.
When Vicious kisses Rosie, Dean gets very angry but he still goes on with that charade.
Eventually, Vicious did manage to get back at me in a way that cracked through my shield. Turns out that shit was thick, but not unbreakable after all.
He kissed Rosie.
He threw a party at his place, and we were cooling down from almost beating the hell out of one another. That wasn’t out of the ordinary. What was out of the ordinary was the way he made me taste my own medicine for the very first time. And let me tell you, it was nasty.
If Dean had been someone with integrity, he would have claimed the girl he really wanted, not her sister and it would have been fairer for all 4 of them (Dean, Rosie, Emilia and Vicious.)
Vicious kissed Rosie only once, he didn’t date her or he didn’t take Rosie’s virginity. Dean did all these horrible things! He dated Emilia. He took her virginity!
If Vicious is your friend and Rosie is the one for you, then, how can you!!?????????
***********************************************
In this book, it seems that Rosie pushed Dean away in the past, seeing Emilia needed him and she was the healthy one who deserved a chance with a guy like Dean but this feels like the effort to victimize Rosie and Dean, making them seem like the ones who did the sacrifices for the ones they cared about so that we, as readers, get warmed up to Dean & Rosie.
I wanted to break up with Millie, but I doubted it would make any difference. Rosie still wouldn’t date me—she may even hate me more for bailing on her sister’s ass. And Vicious was definitely going to corner Millie and make her life a living hell.
What kind of a logic is that?
Trying to change our perspective of the past like that carries the risk of changing our fascination with the book “Vicious”.
However, my fascination with the book Vicious and with the main characters Vicious and Emilia is hard to change.
I actually never stopped accusing mainly Dean of this mess.
So sister or not, I don’t give a shit that much, the worst thing in my opinion was Dean choosing the wrong person for the wrong reasons, and increasing the pain of all 4 of them. Meanwhile, his choice, Emilia, being Rosie’s sister just ADDED INSULT TO THE INJURY, if you ask me.
***********************************************
At the age of 18, all teenagers are prone to making mistakes and Vicious, Dean, Emilia and Rosie all made horrible mistakes by pushing the ones they loved away from them just because of some stupid reasons. Somewhere in the book, there was this sentence:
Love is not perfect. Life is not perfect. Yet, they’re both extremely beautiful things you should treasure every day.
So Ms Shen emphasizes that neither the love of Vicious & Emilia, nor the love of Dean & Rosie was perfect, but at some point in their lives, they wanted to correct their mistakes.
Well, I tried to understand and forgive them. But did I?
If only Vicious and Emilia hadn’t been portrayed in this book as the ones to blame, I could have, maybe; but I am sorry I couldn’t accept Rosie and Dean’s excuses, blaming Emilia and Vicious for nearly everything.
As in the quotation below, there is this hidden effort to blame Emilia for Rosie’s suffering.
"You know what the hardest part was when you and Millie were together? Hearing you make out. It used to kill me. That’s why at some point I stopped being home when you were around."
Whatever Dean says now as the confession below doesn’t change the fact that he has always been the biggest asshole.
“You were always the one, Rosie. Before you even opened your goddamn mouth, I knew that I had to have you. And it took me a long time, but now that I own you—and let there be no mistakes, you’re mine, baby—nothing will come between us, get it?”
If you really have loved Rosie all the time, how could you date her sister, kiss & sleep with her and upset your real love Rosie so deeply? In my opinion, Dean tainted all the good feelings.
The present
Well, what happens at present is, after 11 years, Dean decides to make things right. (Why so late? I have no idea!)
When Rosie has broken up with her boy-friend Darren, Dean sees this as his second chance and starts to chase her. Well, actually, the idiot doesn't know how to chase her. For example, he brings two girls home at the same time for a threesome but flirts with Rosie in the elevator in front of these two girls.
Dean is a unique piece of an asshole and he is afraid of talking about what is in his heart and he tries to flirt with dirty talk all the time.
***********************************************
Rosie doesn’t want to accept it but she still has strong feelings for Dean. Therefore, her resistance seems ridiculous.
“I want you,” I said simply, unapologetically — vulnerably, even— because I did .
“As you did my sister.” Baby LeBlanc gave a curt nod. “Are you planning on screwing your way through our family tree? Should I print out a copy of our ancestry.com profile?”
Now at present, Dean seems to be adamant to get her. When he becomes sure that she wants him, he changes his game and becomes persistent. Thus, her cute resistance turns out to be a short-lived one and she gives in and they start a very belated relationship.
When they learn, Vicious and Emilia give them their blessings and all.
After that point on, Dean is very loyal to Rosie, stopping all his man-whore ways.
Truth was, Baby LeBlanc didn’t know what she wanted. She felt guilty, but at the same time, craved me like crack.
***
“We’ve already established that we’re happening. Now you’re just punishing me for dating your sister. Tell me I’m wrong.”
The writing is good so some sentences really touched my heart.
I needed Dean. Dean made things go away. He was weed. He was alcohol. He was music. Only a thousand times more addictive than all of the above.
However, sometimes, what Dean said like the one below irritated me a lot! It was intended to be funny maybe but it was creepy in my opinion.
“Your dating days are over. You’re mine now.”
““Are you mine, too?” I arched an eyebrow.
“Always have been, Baby LeBlanc. This cock was just a rental that’s now being used by its legitimate owner.”
WTH? I am right? Weird, right?
Especially, I HATED this dialogue between Dean and Emilia and how they made it seem like something unimportant!
“I really love her,” I said.
“I know.” She nodded and laugh-cried. “God, how were we even together?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Everyone wants a piece of me, I guess.”
After this dialogue, the book lost me completely!
***********************************************
There are a few plot twists that are sad and shocking but I knew they were coming. Somehow, I had predicted them.
In this book, my heart beat faster only when Vicious was in the scene. My heart still belongs to Vicious, for sure :)
If you wonder if this book is hot or not, I can say that there are pages burning with their steam and passion. However, I was never in the mood to like them.
Dean fisted my hair again, this time harder than he did on the bench, and turned my head to the space between our bodies so I could watch. “What am I doing to you?” He sounded menacing.
“You’re…” I stuttered. He tugged at my hair harder for the answer. It was painful, but at the same time, extremely hot.
“Say it, Baby LeBlanc.”
“You’re fucking me.”
“Hell, yeah, I’m fucking you. Feels good?”
“Y—yes.”
“Am I too deep?”
“N—no.”
“Am I too rough?”
“N—no.”
“Good. ’Cause I’m about to be.”
The Epilogue of the book gives a hint about the next book (Trent’s story) and it is clear why its title is “Scandalous” :)
Trent gave us a hint of the scandal he is going to cause! I don’t feel like reading it because it seems that Trent, who is now a mature adult with a child, will go after an 18-year old girl. That doesn't sound as if something my stomach will be able to take. Thus, I may stop continuing this series here, after Ruckus.
If only my friends assure me that there is some justificiation done about Vicious and Emilia in it, if I am assured that Trent’s book tries to right the wrongs in Ruckus, then I may... I don’t know for sure!
Final words:
To the readers who loved Vicious as much as I did (to the stars and back), this book is frustrating.
If you didn’t care about Vicious at all, this book still doesn’t make sense in all its integrity.
No matter how well the book is written, it still leaves a bitter taste because of Dean acting as a d*ck both in the past and at present!
Hence, Dean stays as my least favorite HotHole.
Although Jamie was cute and sexy, I didn’t care about him much.
Trent seems to be my 2nd least favorite HotHole after Dean for going after such a young girl but I haven’t read it so I am just assuming.
Long story short, Vicious is the one and only Hothole for me.
I am sorry that Ms Shen took this path in her book "Ruckus" but I still love her for giving us a book like "Vicious".
"Vicious" was a 5 or actually a 10-star read for me.
Final Warnings:
- This book is not for everyone. Maybe, you will be disturbed by the sister issue too badly to forgive them all for their past mistakes; so think well before you start it because it will hurt... badly.
- Also, if you are keen on issues like excessive alcohol and weed consumption, this book may again disturb you because many characters in the book have such harmful addictions, including the hero Dean.
- Dean is the exact definition of a man-whore with no moral compass until he starts to date Rosie. It is really hard to condone his actions most of the time.
- Finally, there is unprotected sex in it between the main characters and if you are sensitive about this kind of careless and stupid acts, let me warn you about that, as well.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
***********************************************
My revised review on RUCKUS: (3 out of 2,5)
I needed to reread certain parts of this book and revise my initial review because Ms Shen messed with my mind in this book and so many things were bugging me!
I must confess that I was never one of those readers who didn’t want to read this book because of dating the two sisters thing.
I have always been the reader who was pissed at Dean for dating the girl Vicious had an obsession with and taking her virginity (knowing his close friend Vicious would be devastated).
That has always been my main issue with Dean.
And it hasn't changed at all after "Ruckus" although Ms Shen has tried hard to make us get pissed at Vicious and Emilia in this book.
My loyalty is and will always be to VICIOUS and his girl, Emilia :)))
***********************************************
This book reveals pieces of information that we didn’t know in Vicious, but they don't cause relief at all because they don’t feel like truth revealed.
They feel like truth/facts that we read in “Vicious” have now been modified and altered so that we like Rosie and Dean and approve their relationship. It feels as if the writer is trying to make us believe that it has always been Dean for Rosie and it has always been Rosie for Dean.
Scenes such as Dean looking at Rosie with lust in his eyes while kissing Emilia or Dean taking Rosie’s sister’s virginity while loving Rosie all the while didn't help me to accept their love, at all. On the contrary, they creeped the hell out of me.
***********************************************
In “Vicious”, it was Emilia who was doing a lot of sacrifice for her sister’s health and well-being but here Emilia is portrayed as someone to be pissed at. I resented this effort.
The explanation of Dean for trying to be the “good guy” who wanted to protect Emilia from Vicious’s cruel attacks was bullshit because you don’t need to date & f*ck the girl to do that.
You can still date her sister Rosie, (who in this book seems to be the one you want whereas what we believed in Vicious was that you were genuienly interested in Emilia), and still help and protect your girlfriend’s sister.
***********************************************
The character and intentions of Dean in the previous book contradicts the ones in Ruckus. And it is not a “perception difference”, it feels like "changing facts and characters".
I wish Ms Shen had chosen to make it another way, such as maybe Dean growing interest in Rosie afterwards, I mean after some years but not f*cking her sister while lusting for Rosie all along.
***********************************************
While reading Ruckus, I wanted to forget about my dislike for Dean and really tried hard to love and accept Dean and Rosie.
I tried not to be prejudiced and I tried not to wrong the book’s value.
Ruckus is technically so well-written with so many touching dialogues that one may easily get lost in their “epic” story !!!
Even myself, although I couldn’t love the book as much as I did “Vicious”, I myself gave it 4 stars out of 3,5 initially all because of this successful writing.
However, the more I thought about it, the more the things that I tried to ignore bothered me and I had to face them all.
***********************************************
The past
In this book, we learn that Dean met Rosie minutes before Emilia accepted his dating offer. Dean saw Rosie when she opened the door and instantly, he felt something very strong for her, he even felt she was the one he should date. Rosie also felt the same for him but then, minutes after this exchange of feelings, Emilia came out of the house and said she wanted to date with him. (He had previously asked her out before meeting Rosie).
So, what did Dean do?
Did he say it was too late because he was now interested in someone else?
No.
Did he date Emilia?
Yes.
What did Rosie do?
Well, she pushed Dean towards her sister, feeling guilty for wanting Dean and Dean didn’t resist much at all.
By being with Emilia, Dean also wants to protect her from Vicious and that's why he dates Emilia while he lusts for and thinks about Rosie all the time.
Does this make sense to you? Because it doesn't make much sense to me!
In the previous book, Dean seemed to like Emilia genuinely whereas in this book, Emilia is portrayed as someone who goes in between Rosie & Dean.
The following excerpt may give you an idea how sick it feels:
At first, he assured me that he wasn’t touching her. After I told him that he should touch her, he got really mad. Nowadays, he was going out with her and acting like it—kissing her, God, I heard them just the other day—even though his eyes were on me. Always on me.
Maybe it was Vicious who started all this mess at the very beginning but I believe that Dean contributed to that tangled mess a great deal.
When Vicious kisses Rosie, Dean gets very angry but he still goes on with that charade.
Eventually, Vicious did manage to get back at me in a way that cracked through my shield. Turns out that shit was thick, but not unbreakable after all.
He kissed Rosie.
He threw a party at his place, and we were cooling down from almost beating the hell out of one another. That wasn’t out of the ordinary. What was out of the ordinary was the way he made me taste my own medicine for the very first time. And let me tell you, it was nasty.
If Dean had been someone with integrity, he would have claimed the girl he really wanted, not her sister and it would have been fairer for all 4 of them (Dean, Rosie, Emilia and Vicious.)
Vicious kissed Rosie only once, he didn’t date her or he didn’t take Rosie’s virginity. Dean did all these horrible things! He dated Emilia. He took her virginity!
If Vicious is your friend and Rosie is the one for you, then, how can you!!?????????
***********************************************
In this book, it seems that Rosie pushed Dean away in the past, seeing Emilia needed him and she was the healthy one who deserved a chance with a guy like Dean but this feels like the effort to victimize Rosie and Dean, making them seem like the ones who did the sacrifices for the ones they cared about so that we, as readers, get warmed up to Dean & Rosie.
I wanted to break up with Millie, but I doubted it would make any difference. Rosie still wouldn’t date me—she may even hate me more for bailing on her sister’s ass. And Vicious was definitely going to corner Millie and make her life a living hell.
What kind of a logic is that?
Trying to change our perspective of the past like that carries the risk of changing our fascination with the book “Vicious”.
However, my fascination with the book Vicious and with the main characters Vicious and Emilia is hard to change.
I actually never stopped accusing mainly Dean of this mess.
So sister or not, I don’t give a shit that much, the worst thing in my opinion was Dean choosing the wrong person for the wrong reasons, and increasing the pain of all 4 of them. Meanwhile, his choice, Emilia, being Rosie’s sister just ADDED INSULT TO THE INJURY, if you ask me.
***********************************************
At the age of 18, all teenagers are prone to making mistakes and Vicious, Dean, Emilia and Rosie all made horrible mistakes by pushing the ones they loved away from them just because of some stupid reasons. Somewhere in the book, there was this sentence:
Love is not perfect. Life is not perfect. Yet, they’re both extremely beautiful things you should treasure every day.
So Ms Shen emphasizes that neither the love of Vicious & Emilia, nor the love of Dean & Rosie was perfect, but at some point in their lives, they wanted to correct their mistakes.
Well, I tried to understand and forgive them. But did I?
If only Vicious and Emilia hadn’t been portrayed in this book as the ones to blame, I could have, maybe; but I am sorry I couldn’t accept Rosie and Dean’s excuses, blaming Emilia and Vicious for nearly everything.
As in the quotation below, there is this hidden effort to blame Emilia for Rosie’s suffering.
"You know what the hardest part was when you and Millie were together? Hearing you make out. It used to kill me. That’s why at some point I stopped being home when you were around."
Whatever Dean says now as the confession below doesn’t change the fact that he has always been the biggest asshole.
“You were always the one, Rosie. Before you even opened your goddamn mouth, I knew that I had to have you. And it took me a long time, but now that I own you—and let there be no mistakes, you’re mine, baby—nothing will come between us, get it?”
If you really have loved Rosie all the time, how could you date her sister, kiss & sleep with her and upset your real love Rosie so deeply? In my opinion, Dean tainted all the good feelings.
The present
Well, what happens at present is, after 11 years, Dean decides to make things right. (Why so late? I have no idea!)
When Rosie has broken up with her boy-friend Darren, Dean sees this as his second chance and starts to chase her. Well, actually, the idiot doesn't know how to chase her. For example, he brings two girls home at the same time for a threesome but flirts with Rosie in the elevator in front of these two girls.
Dean is a unique piece of an asshole and he is afraid of talking about what is in his heart and he tries to flirt with dirty talk all the time.
***********************************************
Rosie doesn’t want to accept it but she still has strong feelings for Dean. Therefore, her resistance seems ridiculous.
“I want you,” I said simply, unapologetically — vulnerably, even— because I did .
“As you did my sister.” Baby LeBlanc gave a curt nod. “Are you planning on screwing your way through our family tree? Should I print out a copy of our ancestry.com profile?”
Now at present, Dean seems to be adamant to get her. When he becomes sure that she wants him, he changes his game and becomes persistent. Thus, her cute resistance turns out to be a short-lived one and she gives in and they start a very belated relationship.
When they learn, Vicious and Emilia give them their blessings and all.
After that point on, Dean is very loyal to Rosie, stopping all his man-whore ways.
Truth was, Baby LeBlanc didn’t know what she wanted. She felt guilty, but at the same time, craved me like crack.
***
“We’ve already established that we’re happening. Now you’re just punishing me for dating your sister. Tell me I’m wrong.”
The writing is good so some sentences really touched my heart.
I needed Dean. Dean made things go away. He was weed. He was alcohol. He was music. Only a thousand times more addictive than all of the above.
However, sometimes, what Dean said like the one below irritated me a lot! It was intended to be funny maybe but it was creepy in my opinion.
“Your dating days are over. You’re mine now.”
““Are you mine, too?” I arched an eyebrow.
“Always have been, Baby LeBlanc. This cock was just a rental that’s now being used by its legitimate owner.”
WTH? I am right? Weird, right?
Especially, I HATED this dialogue between Dean and Emilia and how they made it seem like something unimportant!
“I really love her,” I said.
“I know.” She nodded and laugh-cried. “God, how were we even together?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Everyone wants a piece of me, I guess.”
After this dialogue, the book lost me completely!
***********************************************
There are a few plot twists that are sad and shocking but I knew they were coming. Somehow, I had predicted them.
In this book, my heart beat faster only when Vicious was in the scene. My heart still belongs to Vicious, for sure :)
If you wonder if this book is hot or not, I can say that there are pages burning with their steam and passion. However, I was never in the mood to like them.
Dean fisted my hair again, this time harder than he did on the bench, and turned my head to the space between our bodies so I could watch. “What am I doing to you?” He sounded menacing.
“You’re…” I stuttered. He tugged at my hair harder for the answer. It was painful, but at the same time, extremely hot.
“Say it, Baby LeBlanc.”
“You’re fucking me.”
“Hell, yeah, I’m fucking you. Feels good?”
“Y—yes.”
“Am I too deep?”
“N—no.”
“Am I too rough?”
“N—no.”
“Good. ’Cause I’m about to be.”
The Epilogue of the book gives a hint about the next book (Trent’s story) and it is clear why its title is “Scandalous” :)
Trent gave us a hint of the scandal he is going to cause! I don’t feel like reading it because it seems that Trent, who is now a mature adult with a child, will go after an 18-year old girl. That doesn't sound as if something my stomach will be able to take. Thus, I may stop continuing this series here, after Ruckus.
If only my friends assure me that there is some justificiation done about Vicious and Emilia in it, if I am assured that Trent’s book tries to right the wrongs in Ruckus, then I may... I don’t know for sure!
Final words:
To the readers who loved Vicious as much as I did (to the stars and back), this book is frustrating.
If you didn’t care about Vicious at all, this book still doesn’t make sense in all its integrity.
No matter how well the book is written, it still leaves a bitter taste because of Dean acting as a d*ck both in the past and at present!
Hence, Dean stays as my least favorite HotHole.
Although Jamie was cute and sexy, I didn’t care about him much.
Trent seems to be my 2nd least favorite HotHole after Dean for going after such a young girl but I haven’t read it so I am just assuming.
Long story short, Vicious is the one and only Hothole for me.
I am sorry that Ms Shen took this path in her book "Ruckus" but I still love her for giving us a book like "Vicious".
"Vicious" was a 5 or actually a 10-star read for me.
Final Warnings:
- This book is not for everyone. Maybe, you will be disturbed by the sister issue too badly to forgive them all for their past mistakes; so think well before you start it because it will hurt... badly.
- Also, if you are keen on issues like excessive alcohol and weed consumption, this book may again disturb you because many characters in the book have such harmful addictions, including the hero Dean.
- Dean is the exact definition of a man-whore with no moral compass until he starts to date Rosie. It is really hard to condone his actions most of the time.
- Finally, there is unprotected sex in it between the main characters and if you are sensitive about this kind of careless and stupid acts, let me warn you about that, as well.
December 29, 2024
"What makes you feel alive?"
Ruckus is the second book in the Sinners of Saint Series, and Dean Cole and Rosie LeBlanc share an epic love story that will leave you breathless. This contemporary read full of complex characters, fiery passion, friendship, and unforgettable romance can be read as a stand-alone. However, I highly recommend reading Defy and Vicious before digging into all things DEAN!
"I'm about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby."Dean Cole is no stranger to Rosie LeBlanc. When he first laid eyes on her, he knew she was his. Somehow fate was not on their side, and Dean took Rosie's big sister as his girlfriend. Despite Rosie's heart break, she was willing to put her happiness aside to keep her sister happy and safe. Now that years have passed and Millie is married to Dean's best friend and business partner Vicious, Rosie aka "Baby LeBlanc" is back on his radar. This time Dean will stop at nothing to catch her and keep her forever.
"You're awfully possessive."Rosie LeBlanc has had a difficult life. Battling an illness and trying to maintain independence, she knows that she has to stay away from Dean Cole. She knows that if she allows Dean back into her life, he will take everything and leave her more broken than she already is. Dean is a playboy. Dean is a power hungry business mogul. Dean is sexy. Dean won't stop until Rosie is secured by his side. Permanently. As Dean and Rosie rekindle their friendship, passion explodes between the two. But with the demons of their past threatening to hold them, hostage, forever, will these two be able to find their way together?
"That's because you're awfully mine."
"We're playing a risky game.Told in dual POV, Ruckus is EVERYTHING I love in a story. The dialogue is dense with color and expression. The character relationships are complex and expertly explored throughout each turn and twist of the plot. The friendship between Dean and Rosie is sincere, and the transformation that they make over the course of their relationship is utter perfection. I will be the first to admit that I was unsure how I would feel about Dean. After dating Millie and then going after her sister, I was nervous. And yet, the way in which Dean's past is revealed broke down every mental barrier I had and left me desperate for more. More Dean. More Rosie. More Dean and Rose! I can say with complete confidence that Ruckus is absolutely flawless. In addition to my adoration for these characters and the incomparable text, the plot is unique and full of intrigue. I adore every single moment of this read, and I absolutely cannot wait for more of this series.
"Then it's a good thing I'm the best fucking player in town."
I have been a fan of L.J. Shen for a long time, and I can say with complete sincerity that this is her best work to date. Ruckus is raw, passionate, spunky, and unforgettable. The best way I can summarize my love for this book is to borrow a line from Baby LeBlanc. "What makes you feel alive?" For me, it's reading Ruckus. Bravo, Ms. Shen! Bravo!
***Sinners of Saint***
*ARC graciously provided via author in exchange for an honest review!*
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
August 10, 2020
Lowering this to 1 star, cause I really hate Dean. He's such a loser. :)
September 17, 2019
A steaming HOT romance with a handsome HOT hero, who is one intense HOT mess!!
This is book two of a four book series, “Sinners of Saint,” but can be read as a stand alone.
I was so happy to meet Ruckus and Rosie and enjoyed their bumpy ride to happiness.
I loved their banter and sass. I loved their loyalty. And, I especially loved how Ruckus is a complete force of nature who refused to be denied.
”...I live for you. I breathe for you. I will die for you. It. Has. Always. Been. You.”
A big shout out and thank you to my friend, Robyn, for recommending I read this story before beginning “Broken Knight.” I think it will really enhance my reading experience, as I love having background info on characters!!
This is book two of a four book series, “Sinners of Saint,” but can be read as a stand alone.
I was so happy to meet Ruckus and Rosie and enjoyed their bumpy ride to happiness.
I loved their banter and sass. I loved their loyalty. And, I especially loved how Ruckus is a complete force of nature who refused to be denied.
”...I live for you. I breathe for you. I will die for you. It. Has. Always. Been. You.”
A big shout out and thank you to my friend, Robyn, for recommending I read this story before beginning “Broken Knight.” I think it will really enhance my reading experience, as I love having background info on characters!!
May 26, 2017
I DNFed after he f**ked her without condom.
I knew it wouldn't be a safe read and since I didn't read the 1st book, naive ol' me had a hope it wouldn't be that disturbing. Nope, it was.
Disgusting abhorrent manwhore with zero respect for women.
Is it a type of a new romance hero?
Is that what women yearn for?
Do we, women, want to be treated this way?!
Apparently the scene with 2 OWs should have "prettified" his image.
I don't know, do you?
I can only speak for myself, but I would never ever touch a man who had more random sexual partners than an average person could have after living 10 times.
Is it supposed to be sexy?
I don't know, do you?
He lusted after her for years and slept around. Even after she lived near by.
He even slept with OW the night before "their week". And he had sex with her only 1 day after he f**ked OW.
Is it supposed to be sexy?
I don't know, do you?
OTT idolization of OTT manwhore.
No moral in the story, at least not for me.
I regret reading this book.
I knew it wouldn't be a safe read and since I didn't read the 1st book, naive ol' me had a hope it wouldn't be that disturbing. Nope, it was.
Disgusting abhorrent manwhore with zero respect for women.
Is it a type of a new romance hero?
Is that what women yearn for?
Do we, women, want to be treated this way?!
Apparently the scene with 2 OWs should have "prettified" his image.
I don't know, do you?
I can only speak for myself, but I would never ever touch a man who had more random sexual partners than an average person could have after living 10 times.
Is it supposed to be sexy?
I don't know, do you?
He lusted after her for years and slept around. Even after she lived near by.
He even slept with OW the night before "their week". And he had sex with her only 1 day after he f**ked OW.
Is it supposed to be sexy?
I don't know, do you?
OTT idolization of OTT manwhore.
No moral in the story, at least not for me.
I regret reading this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2017
Live early and only 99 cents! Go go go!!
http://amzn.to/2qPBy9r
L. J Shen knows certainly knows how to make you fall in love with a hothole and let me tell you, if Vicious was your everything in book 1, then Dean “Ruckus” Cole is going to obliterate you and you’re going to love every minute of it! Your mind will no longer be your own because it’s going to be filled with nothing but thoughts about him, and your body is going to Crave him like the perfect drug that he is. But that’s nothing, because your heart? The one that keeps you alive and beats in sync? Will be OWNED by “Ruckus and when a man like him comes into your world, you bask in the destruction.
“If it’s corrupted and dirty and fun- I’m all over it”.
Rosie Leblanc has always been a delicate flower. Born with a lung disease that will ultimately end her life too soon, she’s determined to live her life as she sees fit and that includes avoiding the sexual advances of Dean Cole. There’s just one little problem.. Dean wants Rosie and whatever that man wants, he gets. But with time not being on Rosie’s side, how far will Ruckus go to get the girl that’s always been the one for him?
Will they beat the invisible clock or will Dean’s past come back to haunt him before he gets a chance at his own happiness?
With more money than he could possibly spend in his lifetime, a successful company with his best friends, and a different woman (two if he’s feeling adventurous) every night, Dean is on top of the world. But you know what would be even better than having those things? Having Rosie Leblanc underneath him. But for now he’s going to have to settle for their sexual banters in passing and convincing her to give him a chance, is like making Vicious smile in public. It’s damn near impossible but it could happen.
“I’m about to rewrite the pages of fucking history, baby”.
Without going too much into the story, I have to say I absolutely LOVED the past flashbacks. Dean and Rosie had a past and the way this author portrayed their feelings back then was executed perfectly! You knew without a shadow of a doubt where Dean stood and how he felt about Rosie back then so being able to see that from such a young age, was one of the many highlights in this book for me.
Now I'll admit that I was expecting a slightly emotional read with some hot as hell raunchy scenes but I got so much more! Secrets, lies, a love story eleven years in the making, was just the tip of the ice berg in this story and let me tell you, I was flipping the pages so fast, my hand cramped up! There were so many things about Dean’s past that left me speechless and my heart had literally hurt for this man. He was loyal, passionate, and when he loved something, he protected it with everything he had and that’s what a real man does.
This is the part where I tell you if you love whatever type of romance, then this book is for you but I won’t be doing that.
READ THIS BOOK.
INHALE THIS BOOK.
DEVOUR THIS BOOK.
http://amzn.to/2qPBy9r
L. J Shen knows certainly knows how to make you fall in love with a hothole and let me tell you, if Vicious was your everything in book 1, then Dean “Ruckus” Cole is going to obliterate you and you’re going to love every minute of it! Your mind will no longer be your own because it’s going to be filled with nothing but thoughts about him, and your body is going to Crave him like the perfect drug that he is. But that’s nothing, because your heart? The one that keeps you alive and beats in sync? Will be OWNED by “Ruckus and when a man like him comes into your world, you bask in the destruction.
“If it’s corrupted and dirty and fun- I’m all over it”.
Rosie Leblanc has always been a delicate flower. Born with a lung disease that will ultimately end her life too soon, she’s determined to live her life as she sees fit and that includes avoiding the sexual advances of Dean Cole. There’s just one little problem.. Dean wants Rosie and whatever that man wants, he gets. But with time not being on Rosie’s side, how far will Ruckus go to get the girl that’s always been the one for him?
Will they beat the invisible clock or will Dean’s past come back to haunt him before he gets a chance at his own happiness?
With more money than he could possibly spend in his lifetime, a successful company with his best friends, and a different woman (two if he’s feeling adventurous) every night, Dean is on top of the world. But you know what would be even better than having those things? Having Rosie Leblanc underneath him. But for now he’s going to have to settle for their sexual banters in passing and convincing her to give him a chance, is like making Vicious smile in public. It’s damn near impossible but it could happen.
“I’m about to rewrite the pages of fucking history, baby”.
Without going too much into the story, I have to say I absolutely LOVED the past flashbacks. Dean and Rosie had a past and the way this author portrayed their feelings back then was executed perfectly! You knew without a shadow of a doubt where Dean stood and how he felt about Rosie back then so being able to see that from such a young age, was one of the many highlights in this book for me.
Now I'll admit that I was expecting a slightly emotional read with some hot as hell raunchy scenes but I got so much more! Secrets, lies, a love story eleven years in the making, was just the tip of the ice berg in this story and let me tell you, I was flipping the pages so fast, my hand cramped up! There were so many things about Dean’s past that left me speechless and my heart had literally hurt for this man. He was loyal, passionate, and when he loved something, he protected it with everything he had and that’s what a real man does.
This is the part where I tell you if you love whatever type of romance, then this book is for you but I won’t be doing that.
READ THIS BOOK.
INHALE THIS BOOK.
DEVOUR THIS BOOK.
June 5, 2017
➦I went in blind into this one. By now I've read enough from Leigh Shen to know that this lady can write. Every book might not be my cuppa but the writing is always impeccable and I never have any trouble plowing through her books in a matter of a day or two. Well, Ruckus here was no exception.
➦L.J. Shen's ability to create unique characters is outstanding. This couple here, I loved. They had great chemistry on the pages and there was some kind of magic happening for sure. It's some sort of trickery, I tell ya.
➦You might be surprised, just like me, that Rosie, the heroine of this novel, has cystic fibrosis. And life span for people with this disease is not very long. I was kind of shocked, actually. And Dean the Ruckus, well, he's a real sweet dude hiding behind his party boy persona. Needless to say, I loved both MCs and was invested in the story from cover to cover.
➦Perhaps my ONLY complaint would be the way the ending was handled. So imagine you're a kid. And you go to an amusement park with your parents. And all day long you beg them to have ice cream. But they tell you there will not be any ice cream, not only on this particular day but EVER. So you're all bummed out and you're dealing with it, ok? But then at the end of the day they say, "hey bud, here's an ice cream cone for you!" So why all the negativity man? :D
➦So I think it could have been handled a bit better to appease yours truly, but at the end of the day that's the author's choice. All I can do is complain. LOL Kidding. I was left just a teeny bit unsatisfied. But that's life for ya.
➦To sum it up, a definite recommend from me. It's no Vicious but it has that similar style of writing and flashbacks to the past that I enjoy to bits. Might be a tear jerker for some, I certainly shed a tear. Oh, and can't wait until book #3 in the series, looks like we're looking at one hot single dad trope next!!!!
Credit to the model in the edit: Christian Elivo @instachristiano
May 28, 2017
“I was fucking chaos, brewing anarchy everywhere I went. Everyone knew that.”
RUCKUS! Oh how I have wanted to get my hands on you! And then to top off my severe impatience for this book (I didn’t think it was possible to want it even more), when I saw the cover I was bursting out of my skin to read this one. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love a wet and soapy Dean aka Ruckus? L.J. Shen has become one of those go to authors for me because of her compelling plot lines and the characters she creates. I thank her sincerely for creating the HOTHOLES.
Ruckus is the second instalment of the Sinners of Saint series. Even though these stories are all standalones, you will probably get the most out of it by reading Vicious, the first in the series. I believe it adds more and you get a better understanding of all the characters involved. I don’t know about anyone else, but when I found out Ruckus was about Dean and Rosie, I was a little surprised to say the least. This was especially so, knowing about Rosie and her condition from reading Vicious. Regardless, I still dove right into this book head first, but to say I was a little worried was an understatement.
“You shine, Baby LeBlanc. So fucking bright sometimes you’re the only thing I see.”
Rosie has always harboured secret feelings for her older sister Millie’s ex-boyfriend Dean. In her defence, she did notice him first and loved him before Millie even started dating him. When they were younger she tried her best to avoid him, knowing nothing could happen since he was dating Millie; it all became too painful. Little does she know then, that fast forward eleven years and he was going to turn her world upside down and stop at nothing to have her.
Rosie was born with a life altering illness, cystic fibrosis, and as a result is constantly being treating like an egg shell which could break at any time, especially by her parents. Rosie however doesn’t want to live her life like that and she never lets her illness get in the way of living her life and speaking up, especially when it comes to Dean.
Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole has always loved one woman and one woman only since the first moment he laid eyes on her when they were teenagers, but dating her older sister Millie sure did put a spanner in the works.
“I don’t want to make you forget. I want to make you remember. And I’m about to, Rosie.”…
“I’m about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby.”
Dean has always lived his life in the fast lane. He works hard and plays even harder. He comes across as a typical party boy man whore who drinks too much and smokes too much weed. However, underneath that macho veneer, he is someone who feels things deeply and is a beautifully broken man. You just have to peel off his layers to find the beauty underneath the rough exterior. Dean has always loved Rosie and will stop at nothing to have her, but will Rosie give in to Dean’s advances knowing he has the ability to break her beyond repair?
“You are chaotic, crazy, and full of wars and angst. But you’re the liveliest place I’ve ever been to.”
I absolutely loved this story from start to finish. This is no surprise because L. J. Shen has artfully articulated a beautiful story which I devoured without any trouble at all. A mix between Rosie’s strength and hope, and Dean’s unwavering love for Rosie was a recipe for something magical and inspiring. Ruckus is a beautiful and epic love story eleven years in the making. The best things in life truly are worth the wait. I could not recommend this story strongly enough, so do yourself a favour and read it, you won’t be sorry.
May 24, 2017
IT'S LIVE!!! - http://amzn.to/2qPBy9r
I've read a few books by L.J Shen and yet I'm still in awe over how captivating her stories are. From the second I picked up Ruckus I was in full on reading-beast mode and yelling at everyone that tried to interrupt me. L.J's writing is just that good for me and I don't think I'll ever get enough.
Dean 'Ruckus' Cole has now become one of my most loved Alpha Heroes and I'm pretty sure he'll be featured in my dreams for many nights. His possessive and crazy behavior was completely swoon worthy and I never once doubted his feelings for Rosie. I loved how outgoing he was and that he didn't apologize for the things he wanted or ever try to change to how society wanted him to. He was just this very real and open character that was perfect for Rosie.
Rosie was a character that broke my heart in two. She tried so hard to live her life to the fullest despite her illness and I loved her for it. It didn't always work and sometimes she let life beat her down a little bit, but she always got back up and dusted herself off. I admired her so much, especially when she let Dean help her look forward to the future instead of dread it.
Honestly I don't think I stopped swooning once during this read. Dean and Rosie were just so perfect together, both a little damaged but together they carried each other through the hard times. It was a true love story and one that I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
Bottom line, I can't recommend this book hard enough. Dean is not a Hero that you want to miss because you will regret it, trust me on that on.
"I'm about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby."
I've read a few books by L.J Shen and yet I'm still in awe over how captivating her stories are. From the second I picked up Ruckus I was in full on reading-beast mode and yelling at everyone that tried to interrupt me. L.J's writing is just that good for me and I don't think I'll ever get enough.
Dean 'Ruckus' Cole has now become one of my most loved Alpha Heroes and I'm pretty sure he'll be featured in my dreams for many nights. His possessive and crazy behavior was completely swoon worthy and I never once doubted his feelings for Rosie. I loved how outgoing he was and that he didn't apologize for the things he wanted or ever try to change to how society wanted him to. He was just this very real and open character that was perfect for Rosie.
Rosie was a character that broke my heart in two. She tried so hard to live her life to the fullest despite her illness and I loved her for it. It didn't always work and sometimes she let life beat her down a little bit, but she always got back up and dusted herself off. I admired her so much, especially when she let Dean help her look forward to the future instead of dread it.
Honestly I don't think I stopped swooning once during this read. Dean and Rosie were just so perfect together, both a little damaged but together they carried each other through the hard times. It was a true love story and one that I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
"You're breakable, Dean Cole. I'm going to do my best to keep you whole.
Bottom line, I can't recommend this book hard enough. Dean is not a Hero that you want to miss because you will regret it, trust me on that on.
May 25, 2017
4 STARS
”…there is something you should know before you judge me. I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.”
L.J. Shen doesn’t disappoint with the second book of this series that can be read as a standalone however the characters are introduced in the first book of this series. She gifts a high on chemistry and banter couple with a hero is that is not as brutal as Vicious but just as sexy. The heroine, Rosie is the little sister of the heroine from the prior book in which Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole makes the mistake of dating her sister and therefore anything between Rosie and Dean is a no go…until it isn’t.
”I’m about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby.”
Floating around one another’s orbit for years, Dean decides enough is enough and he makes his play for Baby LeBlanc. Rosie is a solid heroine who deals with a health issue and the judgement of her family. Rosie and Dean’s story is a good sexy read that was not only entertaining but extremely heartfelt.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
”…there is something you should know before you judge me. I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.”
L.J. Shen doesn’t disappoint with the second book of this series that can be read as a standalone however the characters are introduced in the first book of this series. She gifts a high on chemistry and banter couple with a hero is that is not as brutal as Vicious but just as sexy. The heroine, Rosie is the little sister of the heroine from the prior book in which Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole makes the mistake of dating her sister and therefore anything between Rosie and Dean is a no go…until it isn’t.
”I’m about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby.”
Floating around one another’s orbit for years, Dean decides enough is enough and he makes his play for Baby LeBlanc. Rosie is a solid heroine who deals with a health issue and the judgement of her family. Rosie and Dean’s story is a good sexy read that was not only entertaining but extremely heartfelt.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
November 27, 2017
4.5 stars
Ruckus was one of my most highly anticipated books of this year. I wanted this book bad, people! Ever since I finished Vicious, I have been dreaming about this book. I was never worried if I would like it or not. So far, everything that I have read by L. J. Shen has been a five star read for me. She is one of the most talented writers that I have ever had the pleasure of reading, and she sits firmly at the top of my favorite authors of all time. This story just showed me even more why she deserves my admiration.
Dean “Ruckus” Cole is a cocky, rich, alpha male that spends his days at the office and his nights inside of random women. He has demons that nobody knows about, and he chases them away with marijuana and alcohol. Dean Cole is not the serious type. He is always on the verge of a smirk, a laugh, or a sexual innuendo. There is only one thing Dean has ever been serious about and that’s Rosie Leblanc.
Rosie Leblanc is a twenty eight year old living with a cystic fibrosis, an incurable disease that comes with a shortened life span. All she has ever wanted is to be treated like she is not a delicate flower that is going to wilt at any moment. She is strong, she has dreams, and she craves independence and freedom. Her family loves her, but they treat her like she is incapable of taking care of herself. The only person that doesn’t treat her like she is going to break is Dean, a man she loathes as much as she loves.
Dean dated Rosie’s sister, Emilia, when they were teenagers. It should have never happened, but due to some bad timing, good intentions, and misplaced emotions it did. After that, no matter how much Rosie wanted Dean, she would never let herself give in to those feelings. Even now when Emilia is getting married to Vicious 11 years later, Rosie still feels like involving herself with Dean would be a betrayal. The biggest problem with all of this is that Dean is the only man that she has ever loved, and vice versa. They are it for each other, and they both know it. Will they keep wasting what time they have left to be together, or will they finally allow themselves to have what they truly want?
When I was just one chapter in I put the book down, and said, “Holy shit, this woman can right!” I could read L. J. Shen’s writing all day long. She has a way with words that few others do. For example, in a lot of the books I read, the descriptions can drive me crazy. They are either not enough, or they go on forever and I have to start skimming the page to keep from pulling my hair out. That is not the case with her, her descriptions are like fucking poetry to me!
There weren’t many things to do in Todos Santos, California, on the verge of summer break. Everything was scorching hot. The air heavy, the sun bloated, the grass yellow, and the youth bored with their problemless, meaningless existence. We were too lazy to chase cheap thrills, so we looked for them while we were leisurely sprawled on pool floats the shape of donuts and flamingos and Italian-imported sunbathing chair lounges.
There are quotes from this book that just blew me away. They made me feel, they made me think, and they are beautiful. I had to share them with people, because words like that are meant to be shared.
Love felt like dipping each other in gasoline and burning together. Love felt like dancing with madness in the dark, watching all of its bright lights. Love felt like gasping for air when your lungs were already full.
I am going to stop fangirling over the writing now, and tell you that this is a fantastic story with well-developed characters filled with emotion, lust, and love. It is not a neat and tidy story. It’s messy, it’s raw, and it’s real.
Did I love everything these characters did? Hell no! I thought Rosie was stupid to push Dean towards Emilia, because in the end, it wasn’t fair to Emilia. She was dating someone that wanted her sister the whole time. Dean shouldn’t have went along with it either. When it was all said and done, who did that relationship benefit? Nobody. Dean, Rosie, Vicious, and Emilia all suffered because of it. The whole thing was idiotic, but then again so are teenagers. They are learning how to deal with adult feelings and emotions, and they make a ton of mistakes. We have all been there. I know I look back on 50 percent of the things I did as a teen and cringe, so why should I hold Dean and Rosie to a higher standard? I shouldn’t, and I don’t.
Vicious is still my favorite, but Ruckus sure gave him a run for his money! If you are a fan of this series or the author’s work, then why haven’t you picked up this book yet? You need to get on that immediately! If you love romance, sexy alpha male characters, complicated relationships, and spectacular writing, then I recommend this one to you!
ARC generously provided for an honest review.
Ruckus was one of my most highly anticipated books of this year. I wanted this book bad, people! Ever since I finished Vicious, I have been dreaming about this book. I was never worried if I would like it or not. So far, everything that I have read by L. J. Shen has been a five star read for me. She is one of the most talented writers that I have ever had the pleasure of reading, and she sits firmly at the top of my favorite authors of all time. This story just showed me even more why she deserves my admiration.
Dean “Ruckus” Cole is a cocky, rich, alpha male that spends his days at the office and his nights inside of random women. He has demons that nobody knows about, and he chases them away with marijuana and alcohol. Dean Cole is not the serious type. He is always on the verge of a smirk, a laugh, or a sexual innuendo. There is only one thing Dean has ever been serious about and that’s Rosie Leblanc.
Rosie Leblanc is a twenty eight year old living with a cystic fibrosis, an incurable disease that comes with a shortened life span. All she has ever wanted is to be treated like she is not a delicate flower that is going to wilt at any moment. She is strong, she has dreams, and she craves independence and freedom. Her family loves her, but they treat her like she is incapable of taking care of herself. The only person that doesn’t treat her like she is going to break is Dean, a man she loathes as much as she loves.
Dean dated Rosie’s sister, Emilia, when they were teenagers. It should have never happened, but due to some bad timing, good intentions, and misplaced emotions it did. After that, no matter how much Rosie wanted Dean, she would never let herself give in to those feelings. Even now when Emilia is getting married to Vicious 11 years later, Rosie still feels like involving herself with Dean would be a betrayal. The biggest problem with all of this is that Dean is the only man that she has ever loved, and vice versa. They are it for each other, and they both know it. Will they keep wasting what time they have left to be together, or will they finally allow themselves to have what they truly want?
When I was just one chapter in I put the book down, and said, “Holy shit, this woman can right!” I could read L. J. Shen’s writing all day long. She has a way with words that few others do. For example, in a lot of the books I read, the descriptions can drive me crazy. They are either not enough, or they go on forever and I have to start skimming the page to keep from pulling my hair out. That is not the case with her, her descriptions are like fucking poetry to me!
There weren’t many things to do in Todos Santos, California, on the verge of summer break. Everything was scorching hot. The air heavy, the sun bloated, the grass yellow, and the youth bored with their problemless, meaningless existence. We were too lazy to chase cheap thrills, so we looked for them while we were leisurely sprawled on pool floats the shape of donuts and flamingos and Italian-imported sunbathing chair lounges.
There are quotes from this book that just blew me away. They made me feel, they made me think, and they are beautiful. I had to share them with people, because words like that are meant to be shared.
Love felt like dipping each other in gasoline and burning together. Love felt like dancing with madness in the dark, watching all of its bright lights. Love felt like gasping for air when your lungs were already full.
I am going to stop fangirling over the writing now, and tell you that this is a fantastic story with well-developed characters filled with emotion, lust, and love. It is not a neat and tidy story. It’s messy, it’s raw, and it’s real.
Did I love everything these characters did? Hell no! I thought Rosie was stupid to push Dean towards Emilia, because in the end, it wasn’t fair to Emilia. She was dating someone that wanted her sister the whole time. Dean shouldn’t have went along with it either. When it was all said and done, who did that relationship benefit? Nobody. Dean, Rosie, Vicious, and Emilia all suffered because of it. The whole thing was idiotic, but then again so are teenagers. They are learning how to deal with adult feelings and emotions, and they make a ton of mistakes. We have all been there. I know I look back on 50 percent of the things I did as a teen and cringe, so why should I hold Dean and Rosie to a higher standard? I shouldn’t, and I don’t.
Vicious is still my favorite, but Ruckus sure gave him a run for his money! If you are a fan of this series or the author’s work, then why haven’t you picked up this book yet? You need to get on that immediately! If you love romance, sexy alpha male characters, complicated relationships, and spectacular writing, then I recommend this one to you!
ARC generously provided for an honest review.
May 23, 2017
I'm going to try and make this as spoiler free as I possibly can because there are a few wee twists and turns thrown in for good measure that will have you falling in love with Dean even more than you were beforehand.
🎶 PLAY LIST 🎶
Halsey – Hold Me Down
Hey Violet – Guys My Age
Train – Drops of Jupiter
Fall Out Boy – Immortals
Hooverphonic – Mad About You
Breathe Me - Sia
RUCKUS: Is the second instalment in the (Sinners 0f Saint#2) series by L.J. Shen, and needs to be read in order for you to fully enjoy/understand this series.
This is Rosie and Dean's story, Rosie is Millie’s little sister. In the previous book Dean ‘Ruckus’ Cole dated Millie LeBlanc for eight months, she's also Rosie's older sister. But it was Rosie who actually noticed Dean first in the hallway at high-school in between classes. What appealed to her about Dean was the fact that he didn't take himself as serious as all the other broody douchebags at their school.
💥 He was my forbidden, shiny apple. The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth. He is also my sisters ex-boyfriend.
Just the synopsis alone gutted me, I kind of knew an emotional roller coaster out of control was going to come at me full throttle with all the feels thrown in and that is exactly what this author threw at me!! I inhaled this, time just stopped being a factor whilst reading this, the world could've ended and I wouldn't've known, there I was on a sunday curled up on the couch, seconds, minutes, hours I didn't lift my eyes up from the pages, this author had me eating out of the palm of her hand, I sped through those chapters like a junkie on a high.
🥀 I wasn't born like the rest.
I had an illness.
Sometimes I conquered it.
Sometimes it conquered me.
Everyone's favourite rose was wilting.
But no flower wants to die in front of an audience. 🥀
In the beginning of the book Dean did come across like a man child arrogant oversexed jerk that grated on my nerves, everything had a sexual innuendo but then the bugga kind of redeemed himself grew on me the more I progressed through the book and he crawled his way into my heart.
💥 He was a #Hothole. A privileged, unhinged, egomaniac, from Todos Santos who thought he deserved everything and owed nothing.
Dean leaned in my direction and pressed his index finger to my cheek. He produced an eyelash he picked from my face, "Make a wish."
💥 Dean 'Ruckus' Cole was a different kind of asshole to Baron 'Vicious' Spencer. He fucked you over with a polite smile on his face. In that sense, he was the joker. In his mix of confidence, cockiness, good looks, and money, there was a dash of insanity thrown in.
Like an onion you need to peel layer by layer before you get to the real person that makes up Dean, he hides behind his rich silver spoon persona, he drinks, he smokes weed, he uses sex, he's beautifully broken, but go beyond all that and he has so much depth, he's charming, if he wants something he will go to the ends of the earth to get it, and he wants Rose, nothing and no one is going to stand in his way. But Rose has an illness and her clock is ticking at full speed daily, have these two star crossed lovers left it too late?
Well I'm not telling, which is why I urge you to one click this come release day.
MY THOUGHTS: Go into this with an open mind, ok yes he was her sister's ex, does that make it right no but it kind of does, you need to look at the big picture before you turn your back on this amaze balls of a book, yes in college Dean and Millie dated, nothing at all happened between Rose and Dean though they had an undeniable attraction neither succumbed to it, it’s not until they are in their adult years that they reconnect (eleven years later to be exact) and that attraction is still there. So is that grounds for not reading this book? Yeah probably not!! Nothing from the above screams taboo!! Will I be witch hunted for my views on this yeah probably but remember this before you do, controversy and fiction go hand in hand in the book world.
never-gonna-read
February 14, 2017Nope nope nope...def not reading about the guy who took one sisters virginity hooking up and getting an HEA with the other sister. Props to this who will read it but it's not for me...
December 31, 2020
Try not to read it further if you love Rosie I went a Little brutal and don't wanna hurt anyone's feelings
From Vicious -
“If I stay, I’ll hit on your sister, and that’d be really messed up, now wouldn’t it, Millie?” he whispered into my ear.
Before reading Ruckus my optimistic a$$ thought this will be their first proper introduction!!
Matter of fact I know it's not just me!
WHY THE CHANGE OF PLAN L.J SHEN? WHY
This is no secret I have mentioned it 20000 times I hate Rosie! as a heroine!! But not as a mum
She doesn’t qualify as the main lead to me
F**k me 😑 she is not even a decent daughter or sister for that matter
and Lover 🤯 yeah right
Don't get me started on that
She doesn’t have the backbone
Sorry to break it bitching and crude remarks doesn’t make you a "strong female lead"
Mostly I can't stand her Because of her "Sacrifice" among with her other characteristics
I even hated Dean too at First
Why?
Two major reasons in the choice of plot-
1. L.J made him a manwhore who is obsessed with Sleeping around and can't get over of himself, made him irresponsible and almost a borderline man child
2. L.J Shen made this plot in a way that implies Emilia is the villain!!!
She threw herself at Dean!! Well fuck uuu
She didn't
In Ruckus it was portrayed that Dean didn't even like her and was checking Rosie out every chance he got!!
Excuse me what?
While sleeping with older sister thinking about the younger one!!
I mean let me gag peacefully pls!!
The flashbacks of the past were so disgusting
It made Em's personality trashy and it definitely doesn’t help my resentment towards the plot because Emilia is my top favourite heroines
I wish L.J wouldn’t make the plot the way she did with their the past and I wish this book mostly focused on Rosie and Dean's present buildup without dragging Emilia in it
And this disgusting love Triangle nobody needed at least I personally didn't fucking need it I hated it
it gave me headache
It took me so much time to come around Dean!
Also sometimes I feel like I hate Rosie more than the horrific person Melody 😑😑😑!! Umm not really. Taking it back. NOBODY can top Melody in SOS series 😒 at least Rosie turned out to be a great mom
I had to skip or skim some of the parts of this book while my Re-read session
Even I avoid most of Rosie's horrible POVs / inner monologue/jabs/dialogues whatever you call it!
I wouldn’t re-read it but this book offers the most insight on Vic and Em's life and later I happen to love Dean because of his humor, wits, pinning, groveling, and taking care part
So this book won't be a full-on re-read for me ever
Anyway after my little rant I am at least feeling lot less heavy 🦋 I feel like I have been holding this for centuries
Now I can sleep 🌝 peacefully 🥺
27 December, 2020
So I was reading
Broken Knight.....again
Which made me realized how much I actually
love Dean!!
I actually had to re-read some of the chapters of Ruckus and go through my highlights after re-reading BK bcz I Couldn't Help it 🖤
Yes he slept with countless girls
Made things tough Between Vic&Em
He is the Most c**k sure b**tard ever!
But after FINALLY getting Rosie
the way rebuild his life ?
the way the Groveled?
Took care of Rose?
Been there for Knight!
And his character development tho !!!!
oh-so gut wrenchingly good
Best Lover
Best Boyfriend
Best Husband
Best Father
And hopefully best and coolest Grandfather aka Silver Fox too 🥺🥺🥺
YES BARON “VICIOUS” SPENCER IS MY IT MY END GAME in this whole L.J Universe 🌠
But you, Dean Cole , are my Bookboyfriend
You earned it 🎆
Dean Cole was not an insta Love me 🌼
He took his time to set in 🖤
He made me cry and made me laugh and happy too.
it took me some time but It's okay
Better Late Than Never
Dean Cole You are my very personal
My Real Life
Enemies to Lover Hate to Love Trope
🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆
YOU DESERVE THE WORLD and a very very Happy Ending 🥺🎆
28 August, 2020
........there are spoilers if you haven’t read...........
*********Vicious*********
My inner self really said sis you ain't going anywhere Vicious has imprinted on you and you will happily die with him
Btw with all due respect y'all can keep cole! PEACE
[LOL THIS IS FUTURE ME Writing I have changed my mind about Dean 🤣😭 IDK what to do with myself!! I wanna sue me 😂😂 Sorry, Dean might have used a Magic Wand on me while I was reading Broken Knight 🤧 cz b**ch here is doomed literally and figuratively 🤐]
Okay Enough with the drama 😏 Lets talk about this fresh drama 😏Miss...because we got a lot to talk about
.
Another Dark and twisted read on your plate ma'am
Sort of precautions I took to read this book so that I don’t judge or compare it based on the previous book of the series -
♠ I made a conscious effort to forget that I am madly in Love with Vicious, not only in Love I am borderline crazy about him
♠I adore Em so so so much, so I also had to forget about her existence 🙄 I thought of her as just a random sister 😒
cole
He had a total crass mouth 😂 I loved his filthy words of course.
The Dirty Talk Game tho 💪💪💪
But when a man starts praising himself or can not get over of himself then he becomes a TOTAL TURN OFF for me Doesn't matter even if he is God of Love I just don't care!
His cockiness was infuriating
I did find him more of a Beta than an Alpha
That was my initial reaction towards Dean
But thennnnn Later,
I can't explain how much I approved of the way he treated Rosie and took care of her health wise and vice versa. His protectiveness acceptance towards Rosie warmed my heart in the best possible way 💕.
also if Rosie got dysfunctional Lungs he gave me weak heart 😂
Thank the lord it wasn’t not Vicious unless I would've had a heart attack by now 🤐🙈
I loveeed it his character development 🎆🎆
Special Note- I highly appreciate the motivation to eat healthy and workout tho 🐸
rosie
Rosie is the PRIME disappointment of this book according to me. Not everyone will agree I know.
She was irritating me honestly. She didn't have the guts to stand up for herself or owning her mess. Or god help me she didn't even own her man whom she claimed she loved but as an audience, I see Rosie just lusts over Dean nothing more 😑! She wasn’t with her man when he needed her! She never showed any interest in Dean out of the bed and that thing really rubbed in the wrong way! Her so-called sacrifice which no-one needed, didn't do any good, on the flip side wasted 11 years of her sorry life! She was way too much dependent on others and she was in denial! I can't appreciate a coward woman protagonist I am sorry! But it also doesn’t mean the treatment her parents gave her was fair!
Now here comes the fun part why you should read the book
THE STORY
A)L.J can write! The Woman can write!
The story development the character development is on the goddamn point. It will keep you turning the pages and there is no dull moment I assure you.
B)It is not what you will expect
I repeat myself again IT IS NOT WHAT YOU WILL EXPECT
the twist and turns or Secrets you will not be able to assume easily , one time almost my eye sockets came out of shock and surprise 😂
C)Ruckus made me Appreciate Vicious more 😘😍
I am also dying to Read Broken Knight and Angry God
I know I would love Vaughn matter of factly
But I am damn sure I would Love Knight and Especially Luna more than Cole n Rose
P.S- Dear,
Jamie, Dean, Trent
Next time you wanna convince Vic on something he doesn't like
Sweethearts, take The whole American army with you 😂🐸 even then best of luck with that
Yours Truly,
A
(Vicious's Girl 🖤💖)
August 21, 2019
Re-read 8/21/19 I will always be team "Dean & Rosie"!!!
It has been a while since I've read "Vicious", book 1 in this series, which I really enjoyed. Now, with book 3 releasing, I figured it was time to catch up and read book 2. What I didn't expect, was how this book was gonna blow me away...it was awesome !!
This is Dean "Ruckus" Cole and Rose "baby" LeBlanc's story. They both play I huge part in book 1, so I would suggest reading that one, before starting this second installment.
Dean is the big manwhore of the HotHoles, and he dated Rosie's older sister Emelia in book 1. Emelia ended up marrying Vicious, Dean's HotHole friend. Like I said...read book 1, because you will miss a lot if you don't ;)
Dean and Emilia were still very young when they were together and even though their relationship lasted for months... she wasn't who he really wanted to be with. He had set his eyes on "baby LeBlanc" Rosie, but circumstances pushed him toward her older sister.
Being with Rosie's sister pretty much killed his chances of being with the girl he really loved and wanted.
Now years later, Emilia and Vicious are very happy together and Dean is passing his time working, drinking, smoking weed and screwing around as much as he can. Being the very rich and good-looking guy that he is...he gets to have his pick.
But what he still really wants is Rosie, and now that she is living in his apartment building in New York... he is gonna go for it. No is not an option.
“I’m about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby.”
Baby LeBlanc put up a good fight, but I didn't fault her for finally giving in, because Dean was very hard to resist. When these two "came" together, my ovaries wanted to explode.
I really liked Dean in the previous book and after getting to know him better in this one...I loved him even more. Sure he fucks up more than once....even spectacularly, but I never once questioned how much he loved Rosie.
"You shine, Baby LeBlanc. So fucking bright sometimes you’re the only thing I see.”
Rosie was a pretty awesome heroine. I admired her strength and I think Dean was the perfect man for her. She was dealing with a non-curable disease and all she wanted was to live her life her way, and not be coddled all the time. He gave her exactly what she needed...until he screwed up that is. She was also not the rollover kinda girl, and she gave as good as she got.
This book made me laugh and cry and scream. I was raw and it was beautiful.
I highly recommend this series and I'm jumping into book 3 right now...I'm so curious about Trent's story
It has been a while since I've read "Vicious", book 1 in this series, which I really enjoyed. Now, with book 3 releasing, I figured it was time to catch up and read book 2. What I didn't expect, was how this book was gonna blow me away...it was awesome !!
This is Dean "Ruckus" Cole and Rose "baby" LeBlanc's story. They both play I huge part in book 1, so I would suggest reading that one, before starting this second installment.
Dean is the big manwhore of the HotHoles, and he dated Rosie's older sister Emelia in book 1. Emelia ended up marrying Vicious, Dean's HotHole friend. Like I said...read book 1, because you will miss a lot if you don't ;)
Dean and Emilia were still very young when they were together and even though their relationship lasted for months... she wasn't who he really wanted to be with. He had set his eyes on "baby LeBlanc" Rosie, but circumstances pushed him toward her older sister.
Being with Rosie's sister pretty much killed his chances of being with the girl he really loved and wanted.
Now years later, Emilia and Vicious are very happy together and Dean is passing his time working, drinking, smoking weed and screwing around as much as he can. Being the very rich and good-looking guy that he is...he gets to have his pick.
But what he still really wants is Rosie, and now that she is living in his apartment building in New York... he is gonna go for it. No is not an option.
“I’m about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby.”
Baby LeBlanc put up a good fight, but I didn't fault her for finally giving in, because Dean was very hard to resist. When these two "came" together, my ovaries wanted to explode.
I really liked Dean in the previous book and after getting to know him better in this one...I loved him even more. Sure he fucks up more than once....even spectacularly, but I never once questioned how much he loved Rosie.
"You shine, Baby LeBlanc. So fucking bright sometimes you’re the only thing I see.”
Rosie was a pretty awesome heroine. I admired her strength and I think Dean was the perfect man for her. She was dealing with a non-curable disease and all she wanted was to live her life her way, and not be coddled all the time. He gave her exactly what she needed...until he screwed up that is. She was also not the rollover kinda girl, and she gave as good as she got.
This book made me laugh and cry and scream. I was raw and it was beautiful.
I highly recommend this series and I'm jumping into book 3 right now...I'm so curious about Trent's story
My reviews are posted on
Follow me
January 12, 2022
OH LA LA ... it's Ruckus's book and he doesn't disappoint.
You know when you read a book and you know it’s going to be 5 stars even though you haven’t even finished it?! That was me reading RUCKUS! I loved Vicious, book 1 in the series, but now that I finished Ruckus’s book I’m starting to think I didn’t understand what love was because I want to wrap this book up and stick it under my pillow so I can dream about it always. I LOVED IT!
Okay, I was taken aback, in a good way, by the underlying biblical story within these pages. I know, right?! You’re surprised to hear there was that in this manwhoring book? ”I stole a glimpse at the girl who was destined to be the Rachel to my Jacob, this time longingly because I knew I stood no chance with her the minute her sister kissed me to get back at fucking Vicious.” For those who don’t know the biblical story of Rachel, Leah and Jacob here’s the cliff notes. Jacob is in love with Rachel but her father makes him take her older sister first. And then her father makes him work for many more years to gain the right to have his second daughter, Rachel.
We know from the first book that Millie, Rosie’s older sister, dates Dean aka “Ruckus” first because of circumstances. Now, it's years later and that high school relationship between Millie and Dean is long over. The meat of this story is about how Rosie and Dean come together and how they function in their current relationship with each other.
The writing of this story flowed well even when we went back in time to get a better understanding of a situation. One of my favorite aspects of the story was the author's ability to pepper the story with sarcastic humor. I laughed, I cried and I stuffed my face with Doritos while reading this book it was that good. Readers who love a redeeming jerk - don’t pass go but instead grab this book and be prepared to be wowed! Seriously, READ IT!
Ruckus is the second book in the Sinners of Saint series. It’s set mostly in New York and some in California. The main characters (The 4 HotHole guys) from the previous book play a role in this book. Their stories continue on from the first book. To grasp the overall arc of this series I'd recommend you read them in sequential order.
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2017
**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Follow Foxy Blogs at: Blog ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook
You know when you read a book and you know it’s going to be 5 stars even though you haven’t even finished it?! That was me reading RUCKUS! I loved Vicious, book 1 in the series, but now that I finished Ruckus’s book I’m starting to think I didn’t understand what love was because I want to wrap this book up and stick it under my pillow so I can dream about it always. I LOVED IT!
Okay, I was taken aback, in a good way, by the underlying biblical story within these pages. I know, right?! You’re surprised to hear there was that in this manwhoring book? ”I stole a glimpse at the girl who was destined to be the Rachel to my Jacob, this time longingly because I knew I stood no chance with her the minute her sister kissed me to get back at fucking Vicious.” For those who don’t know the biblical story of Rachel, Leah and Jacob here’s the cliff notes. Jacob is in love with Rachel but her father makes him take her older sister first. And then her father makes him work for many more years to gain the right to have his second daughter, Rachel.
We know from the first book that Millie, Rosie’s older sister, dates Dean aka “Ruckus” first because of circumstances. Now, it's years later and that high school relationship between Millie and Dean is long over. The meat of this story is about how Rosie and Dean come together and how they function in their current relationship with each other.
The writing of this story flowed well even when we went back in time to get a better understanding of a situation. One of my favorite aspects of the story was the author's ability to pepper the story with sarcastic humor. I laughed, I cried and I stuffed my face with Doritos while reading this book it was that good. Readers who love a redeeming jerk - don’t pass go but instead grab this book and be prepared to be wowed! Seriously, READ IT!
Ruckus is the second book in the Sinners of Saint series. It’s set mostly in New York and some in California. The main characters (The 4 HotHole guys) from the previous book play a role in this book. Their stories continue on from the first book. To grasp the overall arc of this series I'd recommend you read them in sequential order.
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2017
**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Follow Foxy Blogs at: Blog ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook
May 19, 2017
LJ Shen slays!! I knew I'd love it, but not this much. I'm in book hangover hell. I want more Hotholes!!
Okay...Let’s dive into the deliciousness that is Ruckus.
Here’s the Breakdown: Dean Ruckus Cole is a manwhore of epic proportions. Seemingly, upset by his former girlfriend moving on with one of his best friends, he approaches life like it’s a never-ending buffet of women and booze. Rosie has always been the doted-on daughter. Her illness overshadows everything in her family’s eyes. What no one understands is that she refuses to be viewed as a wilting flower. She wants to live a full life and not be defined by her illness.
What I floved: Pretty much everything about the book falls into this category, but I’ll break it down for you. The history and story within the story - Dean and Rosie share a history that I never anticipated. Catching up with these two from high school through present day is very eye-opening and so meaningful to the story.
The main characters - Although they’re both dealing with some major drama and life events, they can’t help but fall in love. It’s organic and flows well. It’s not forced or superficial. The character and relationship development are both strong and perfectly rendered.
The secondary characters - There’s so much Hothole goodness throughout. Vicious fans, get ready to 1-click this Mofo as soon as it releases!!
The love story is amazing. The twists and turns you don’t expect will keep you on your toes. And the ending is sure to please. I was floored by the amazing storyteller and larger than life characters.
Overall, this is an epic story about love that transcends the test of time, hormones, and unfortunate assholery. It’s unpredictable, raw, emotional, and edgy- pure chaos contained in a beautiful package. The Hotholes reunite to deal with love, loss, family drama, and everything that accompanies growing up and trust me you don’t want to miss it! Highly recommend for fans of the series, those interested in emotional romance, or just a plain old good story!
My Rating: 5 "I breathe for you" Stars
Okay...Let’s dive into the deliciousness that is Ruckus.
Here’s the Breakdown: Dean Ruckus Cole is a manwhore of epic proportions. Seemingly, upset by his former girlfriend moving on with one of his best friends, he approaches life like it’s a never-ending buffet of women and booze. Rosie has always been the doted-on daughter. Her illness overshadows everything in her family’s eyes. What no one understands is that she refuses to be viewed as a wilting flower. She wants to live a full life and not be defined by her illness.
What I floved: Pretty much everything about the book falls into this category, but I’ll break it down for you. The history and story within the story - Dean and Rosie share a history that I never anticipated. Catching up with these two from high school through present day is very eye-opening and so meaningful to the story.
The main characters - Although they’re both dealing with some major drama and life events, they can’t help but fall in love. It’s organic and flows well. It’s not forced or superficial. The character and relationship development are both strong and perfectly rendered.
The secondary characters - There’s so much Hothole goodness throughout. Vicious fans, get ready to 1-click this Mofo as soon as it releases!!
The love story is amazing. The twists and turns you don’t expect will keep you on your toes. And the ending is sure to please. I was floored by the amazing storyteller and larger than life characters.
Overall, this is an epic story about love that transcends the test of time, hormones, and unfortunate assholery. It’s unpredictable, raw, emotional, and edgy- pure chaos contained in a beautiful package. The Hotholes reunite to deal with love, loss, family drama, and everything that accompanies growing up and trust me you don’t want to miss it! Highly recommend for fans of the series, those interested in emotional romance, or just a plain old good story!
My Rating: 5 "I breathe for you" Stars
Read
December 21, 2020RUCKUS was INTENSE, EMOTIONAL, TUMULTUOUS, and HEART-ACHINGLY beautiful.
The very first moment Dean laid eyes on Rosie he was enamored.
It. Has. Always. Been. You. Ever since I saw your sorry ass for the first time on that threshold and you fucking poked me in the chest like I was a toy. We’ve been apart for ten years, Rose LeBlanc, and not even one day has passed without me thinking of you. And not just in passing. You know, the occasional she-could-have-been-a-great-fuck. I mean really taking my time to think about you. Wondering what you looked like. Where you were. What you were doing. Who you were with. I stalked you on Facebook. And Twitter—which, by the way, you need to deactivate because you never once bothered to tweet—but you aren’t exactly a social media animal. I asked about you. Every time I was in town. And once I realized you were in New York with Millie…”
I think what gutted me the most about this book was Dean's deep and unshakable love for Rosie. There was no doubt, or second thought. She was IT for him - and I fell in love with him right then and there.
Ever time he opened his mouth I SWOONED a bit more!!!!!
“It may not be this week—it may not even be this month, but it will happen. And once it does, you’ll have to face your fears and tell your saint sister that we are together, or I will. Because once I fuck you, no one else will be enough for you. Ever. Again. So I’m just going to tell you right here and now, you’re welcome to my dick anytime you want, any hour of the day. I see us as a long-term thing, so it’s important to me to keep you happy.” “Duly noted, Mr. Delusional.” “Glad we got that all sorted, Miss Soon-to-be-in-My-Bed.”
Not enough? Here is another one...
“Contrary to general belief, stars don’t twinkle. There is only one star that sparkles that scientists can agree on. It twinkles so bright, sometimes people mistake it for a UFO. It’s not big, but it stands out. That’s Sirius, and it’s also you. You shine, Baby LeBlanc. So fucking bright sometimes you’re the only thing I see.”
For me Dean was almost the perfect mix of jerk and a guy that was heads over heels in love with his girl. Their past and history was meaningful and life changing, but not something that couldn't be build on.
Because, even so they were apart for 10 years, they pretty much stayed true to themselves.
Rosie was such a strong women. She stood up to Dean without surrendering to his charm or strong willed personality. Her disease changed her outlook on life and strengthened her willingness to fight for what she wanted. And in Dean she found the ONE GUY that would treat her equally and the same as everyone else. It might not have set well with me, but it was what Rosie wanted and needed.
I believe, unless I have been in the same situation, I can't really judge anyone for their decisions. And Rosie's decisions were hers and hers alone.
Reading RUCKUS was a pleasure. Dean was unlike any other of the HotHoles and the way he was with Rosie felt perfectly RIGHT!! They matched, worked, and belonged together.
I got a few glimpses of my beloved VICIOUS which made my day - because he is still my #1 HotHole. That brain of his is as sexy as the outside. If L.J. Shen would write a VICOUS 2 I would be the first one in line.
To get to the point, I'm in awe of L.J. Shen's writing.
Her prose was solid, spellbinding and vivid. Her storytelling was superbly plotted. At times the depth of emotion and heart-wrecking implications gutted me. Rosie's strength was a beacon of endurance, love and hope. And Dean's love for Rosie was a never ending source of butterflies and the biggest swoonfest EVER!!!
___________________________________
Find more reviews and book recommendations on my blog.
Find me on Bookstagram.
The very first moment Dean laid eyes on Rosie he was enamored.
It. Has. Always. Been. You. Ever since I saw your sorry ass for the first time on that threshold and you fucking poked me in the chest like I was a toy. We’ve been apart for ten years, Rose LeBlanc, and not even one day has passed without me thinking of you. And not just in passing. You know, the occasional she-could-have-been-a-great-fuck. I mean really taking my time to think about you. Wondering what you looked like. Where you were. What you were doing. Who you were with. I stalked you on Facebook. And Twitter—which, by the way, you need to deactivate because you never once bothered to tweet—but you aren’t exactly a social media animal. I asked about you. Every time I was in town. And once I realized you were in New York with Millie…”
I think what gutted me the most about this book was Dean's deep and unshakable love for Rosie. There was no doubt, or second thought. She was IT for him - and I fell in love with him right then and there.
Ever time he opened his mouth I SWOONED a bit more!!!!!
“It may not be this week—it may not even be this month, but it will happen. And once it does, you’ll have to face your fears and tell your saint sister that we are together, or I will. Because once I fuck you, no one else will be enough for you. Ever. Again. So I’m just going to tell you right here and now, you’re welcome to my dick anytime you want, any hour of the day. I see us as a long-term thing, so it’s important to me to keep you happy.” “Duly noted, Mr. Delusional.” “Glad we got that all sorted, Miss Soon-to-be-in-My-Bed.”
Not enough? Here is another one...
“Contrary to general belief, stars don’t twinkle. There is only one star that sparkles that scientists can agree on. It twinkles so bright, sometimes people mistake it for a UFO. It’s not big, but it stands out. That’s Sirius, and it’s also you. You shine, Baby LeBlanc. So fucking bright sometimes you’re the only thing I see.”
For me Dean was almost the perfect mix of jerk and a guy that was heads over heels in love with his girl. Their past and history was meaningful and life changing, but not something that couldn't be build on.
Because, even so they were apart for 10 years, they pretty much stayed true to themselves.
Rosie was such a strong women. She stood up to Dean without surrendering to his charm or strong willed personality. Her disease changed her outlook on life and strengthened her willingness to fight for what she wanted. And in Dean she found the ONE GUY that would treat her equally and the same as everyone else. It might not have set well with me, but it was what Rosie wanted and needed.
I believe, unless I have been in the same situation, I can't really judge anyone for their decisions. And Rosie's decisions were hers and hers alone.
Reading RUCKUS was a pleasure. Dean was unlike any other of the HotHoles and the way he was with Rosie felt perfectly RIGHT!! They matched, worked, and belonged together.
I got a few glimpses of my beloved VICIOUS which made my day - because he is still my #1 HotHole. That brain of his is as sexy as the outside. If L.J. Shen would write a VICOUS 2 I would be the first one in line.
To get to the point, I'm in awe of L.J. Shen's writing.
Her prose was solid, spellbinding and vivid. Her storytelling was superbly plotted. At times the depth of emotion and heart-wrecking implications gutted me. Rosie's strength was a beacon of endurance, love and hope. And Dean's love for Rosie was a never ending source of butterflies and the biggest swoonfest EVER!!!
___________________________________
Find more reviews and book recommendations on my blog.
Find me on Bookstagram.
May 28, 2017
"I don’t want to make you forget. I want to make you remember. And I’m about to, Rosie.” He breathed hard against my skin. “I’m about to rewrite the pages of our fucking history, baby."
May 31, 2017
I loved Dean and Rosie, and the amazing cast of characters!
My heart is happy.
Ruckus is a STANDALONE romance within the, 'Sinners of Saints,' series, comprising a selection of standalones with interlinking characters that are written in such a way that each story can be experienced as a pure STANDALONE, no questions asked. However, before I embarked on RUCKUS my reading besties advised me to read Vicious, scratch that, they absolutely insisted that I did! And I'm so glad that I listened to their words of wisdom because despite the standalone quality of each of these novels, Vicious and Ruckus have a certain amount of overlap to their shared history which added to the depth I felt whilst reading Dean and Rosie's story. (Also, Vicious and his story is an experience NOT TO BE MISSED)
Back to Ruckus, Dean Ruckus is a delectable bad boy hero, very sexy, extremely handsome and oozes charismatic charm. The ingredients of his character provide the swoon factor and beautiful vulnerabilities that made me fall in love with his persona. He met Rosie approximately eleven years prior to the present day but it was the wrong time for them to be together, despite their immediate rush of feelings for one another. Wind forward to the present day and maybe, just maybe their time is now. Rosie is beautiful inside and out. Her struggles provide a poignancy to the story that made me feel and think. I admired her strength, her courage and her will to be positive and independent. I wanted her to live with her love, to find her happiness and live her life to the absolute full. And I wanted her to have all those things with Dean Ruckus.
The first-person narrative told in the dual perspective of Dean and Rosie showcases moments from the past peppered between the present day providing history, character development, the depiction of all the reasons why and depth of feeling. Rosie and Dean are a beautiful character combination in a super lovely second chance romance that's full of heart, poignancy and joy. It made me swoon, and smile, and laugh, and then towards the end the story took a hold of my heart, gripped it and made me cry. I was completely invested in their story and appreciated the feelings evoked from the juxtaposition of the love, happiness and heartbreak in the narrative.
Ruckus left me on a reading high. The best kind of reading feeling. The HotHoles (this is the collective term used to describe the male heroes of the SINNERS OF SAINTS series) are a special group of men, I devoured the story of Vicious and Ruckus, I figure I should go back and sample James in DEFY and I DEFINITELY can't wait for TRENT'S story!
Advance copy provided for my honest review thoughts **
★ Graphics created by me with stock photos I purchased from deposit photos ★
May 24, 2017
4 Ruckus Stars (Dean is the best *sigh*)
"I never stopped loving Dean Cole. Not even for one damn moment. i just convinced myself that I stopped caring."
I loved this story,and I can easily say that this one is by far one of the best books I have read from L.J Shen.Ruckus was a beautiful,intense,passionate and sexy story.
"I don't want to make you forget.I want to make you remember."
Dean is my new crush!Seriously I'm in love with him,he is the perfect mix of a jerk and sweet hero.He make me swoon all the time.Rosie is also an interesting heroine,I like her because she was strong but I didn't find her as enjoyable as I wanted and this is the reason why this story wasn't a 5 Stars for me.
"You're awfully possessive"
"That's because you're awfully mine."
I'm excited to read more books from this author.Each book gives me something new and I love reading her books!If you like angst in your stories and a hero that will make you melt then get ready to meet Ruckus...He is irresistible!!
"I never stopped loving Dean Cole. Not even for one damn moment. i just convinced myself that I stopped caring."
I loved this story,and I can easily say that this one is by far one of the best books I have read from L.J Shen.Ruckus was a beautiful,intense,passionate and sexy story.
"I don't want to make you forget.I want to make you remember."
Dean is my new crush!Seriously I'm in love with him,he is the perfect mix of a jerk and sweet hero.He make me swoon all the time.Rosie is also an interesting heroine,I like her because she was strong but I didn't find her as enjoyable as I wanted and this is the reason why this story wasn't a 5 Stars for me.
"You're awfully possessive"
"That's because you're awfully mine."
I'm excited to read more books from this author.Each book gives me something new and I love reading her books!If you like angst in your stories and a hero that will make you melt then get ready to meet Ruckus...He is irresistible!!
August 19, 2019
★★★★★ 5 Stars ★★★★★
I was dying to read this one, DYING! Ruckus is the second book in the Sinners of Saint series, and follows Dean, the fun and charismatic stoner who makes up one of the four 'Hotholes' - a group of friends who have been tight since their wild days in High School, and are now successful business partners living in different cities, but with an unbreakable bond of brotherhood.
Rosie has loved Dean since she was 15, but he's way off limits as he also happens to be the same guy that her beloved sister lost her virginity to before she settled down with the love of her life. Not only that, but her life debilitating illness holds her back from really giving her heart fully to anyone other than her family.
Dean has been waiting a long, long time to claim the woman of his dreams - and when the opportunity arises to convince her that he isn't taking no for an answer, he goes all in to win her over. He who was once a manslut, won me over so quickly, I felt embarrassed for my feminist side - it really didn't take much for him to make me swoon like a loon!
Chemistry was on point, the banter was entertaining, and the underlying themes of the book were dealt with expertly, and with a great depth of research that was evident in the writing.
Shen always manages to pull me into a story so that I feel invested in the characters and their dilemmas, and this one did not disappoint. A story of two people destined to be together, but a difficult journey to get to the end point, it was all I wanted plus more.
Ruckus is a new adult romance and book 2 of an ongoing series. Can also be read as a standalone. Told from dual POV.
ARC gratefully received
Images featured in this review were created by me using stock images either purchased from deposit photo or from free stock sites.
"If it’s corrupted and dirty and fun— I’m all over it.
And this girl? She looked like a whole lotta fun to corrupt."
I was dying to read this one, DYING! Ruckus is the second book in the Sinners of Saint series, and follows Dean, the fun and charismatic stoner who makes up one of the four 'Hotholes' - a group of friends who have been tight since their wild days in High School, and are now successful business partners living in different cities, but with an unbreakable bond of brotherhood.
Rosie has loved Dean since she was 15, but he's way off limits as he also happens to be the same guy that her beloved sister lost her virginity to before she settled down with the love of her life. Not only that, but her life debilitating illness holds her back from really giving her heart fully to anyone other than her family.
Dean has been waiting a long, long time to claim the woman of his dreams - and when the opportunity arises to convince her that he isn't taking no for an answer, he goes all in to win her over. He who was once a manslut, won me over so quickly, I felt embarrassed for my feminist side - it really didn't take much for him to make me swoon like a loon!
"A privileged, unhinged, egomaniac from Todos Santos who thought he deserved everything and owed nothing."
Chemistry was on point, the banter was entertaining, and the underlying themes of the book were dealt with expertly, and with a great depth of research that was evident in the writing.
Shen always manages to pull me into a story so that I feel invested in the characters and their dilemmas, and this one did not disappoint. A story of two people destined to be together, but a difficult journey to get to the end point, it was all I wanted plus more.
Ruckus is a new adult romance and book 2 of an ongoing series. Can also be read as a standalone. Told from dual POV.
ARC gratefully received
Images featured in this review were created by me using stock images either purchased from deposit photo or from free stock sites.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,865 reviews