ABOUT THE BOOK
Penn
They say revenge is a dish best-served cold.
I’d had four years to stew on what Daria Followhill did to me, and now my heart was completely iced.
I took her first kiss.
She took the only thing I loved.
I was poor.
She was rich.
The good thing about circumstances? They can change. Fast.
Now, I’m her parents’ latest shiny project.
Her housemate. Her tormentor. The captain of the rival football team she hates so much.
Yeah, baby girl, say it—I’m your foster brother.
There’s a price to pay for ruining the only good thing in my life, and she’s about to shell out some serious tears.
Daria Followhill thinks she is THE queen. I’m about to prove to her that she’s nothing but a spoiled princess.
Daria
Everyone loves a good old unapologetic punk.
But being a bitch? Oh, you get slammed for every snarky comment, cynical eye roll, and foot you put in your adversaries’ way.
The thing about stiletto heels is that they make a hell of a dent when you walk all over the people who try to hurt you.
In Penn Scully’s case, I pierced his heart until he bled out, then left it in a trash can on a bright summer day.
Four years ago, he asked me to save all my firsts for him.
Now he lives across the hall, and I want nothing more than to be his last everything.
His parting words when he gave me his heart were that nothing in this world is free.
Now? Now he is making me pay.
MY REVIEW
Working my way through my endless TBR pile, I found another evocative and emotional new adult romance from one of my favorite authors, L.J. Shen. As a reader, I was immediately drawn into the intense and emotional world of Daria Followhill and Penn Scully. The complex characters and their intertwined stories make for a powerful read.
It all started with a first kiss and a rare piece of orange sea glass. They were young and vulnerable. Angry and lonely. Foolish and betrayed. Four years later as seniors in high school, they meet again. His mom is dead, he’s homeless, and his twin sister’s disappearance all those years ago is her fault. He’s out for revenge and she deserves everything he throws at her.
The romance between Daria and Penn is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Their initial animosity towards each other turns into sizzling sexual chemistry and eventually, a deep and abiding love. But their road to happiness is fraught with obstacles, including secrets and betrayals that threaten to tear them apart.
Ms. Shen’s character development is exceptional. Daria’s journey from a hardened mean girl to a vulnerable and redeemed young woman is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Penn’s struggle to overcome his difficult past and make a better life for himself is also compelling. And the supporting characters, like Daria’s kind and caring father Jaime, add depth and richness to the story.
What I loved most about Pretty Reckless was the way Ms. Shen tackled difficult and taboo topics with brutal honesty. Daria’s emotional turmoil and her forbidden relationship with an adult authority figure are painful and real. The novel raises important questions about privilege, power, and the consequences of our actions.
Ms. Shen’s explosive and thought-provoking prose is amazing. I highly recommend this passionate enemies-to-lovers romance that culminates in an unforgettable happily-ever-after ending.
BUY THE BOOK
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
L.J. Shen is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of contemporary, new adult, and young adult romance. Her books have been sold in twenty different countries, and she hopes to visit all of them.
She lives in Florida with her husband, three rowdy sons, and rowdier pets and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows, and reading to her heart’s content.
Follow her on her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, and her newsletter.
