L.J. Shen

Defy is a smutty, insta-love, insta-lust short novella. Defy is a prequel to Vicious (Sinners of Saint #1). It is recommended, but unnecessary, to read Defy before reading Vicious. My name is Melody Greene, and I have a confession to make. I slept with my student, a senior in high school. Multiple times. I had multiple orgasms. In multiple positions. I slept with my student and I enjoyed it. I slept with my student and I'd do it all over again if I could turn back time. My name is Melody Greene, and I got kicked out of my position as a teacher and did my walk of shame a la Cersei Lannister from the principal's office, minutes after said principal threatened to call the cops on me. My name is Melody Greene, and I did something bad because it made me feel good. Here is why it was totally worth it.

Defy

Levi-Mae 

“I fell in love with you. It wasn’t a beautiful process. Hell...” He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It wasn’t even romantic. But it happened. “

“Truth or dare?” he asks out of nowhere. 

“Truth. Brave people always choose the truth.” I grin. 

“Is it true that you’ll always be mine?”

“Mel,” he answered, smiling. “Truth or dare?” 

“See? Was that so hard? Still in one piece, aren’t you, baby girl?”

“I love you, too, Mel. Fucking crazy about you, actually. Now pack up.”

‘It was the shortest trip to insanity. My love was madness.’

And I’m not. I’m not letting you see me break.’

“Because I think about you before I think about myself. Always remember that, Little Ballerina. Always.”

‘He was too scary for a teenager. Too dangerous for someone who grew up in pretentious luxury. Too dead for a living human.‘

“Run, Ms. Greene. As fast as you’d like. I’m going to catch you, and I’m going to have fun showing you that there’s no escape from this.”

‘He felt like my mentor. Like a man who knows the way to that slippery, elusive thing called happiness.‘

“He’ll never stay away from her.” Jaime’s expression grew tight. “For one, he wants to ruin her.”

“Can’t.” He brought my hands to his lips, kissing my knuckles one by one. “I’m not leaving you here or anywhere else.

You were the perfect sin to commit, Melody

. Begging to be taken. Untouched by the rest of Todos Santos’s posing and entitlement. I got hooked. From that day on, I followed you everywhere like an eager puppy. To the supermarket, the gas station...the fucking park every morning before practice, where I watched you doing yoga positions and tried not to rub a quick one out behind a tree. I followed you on blind dates, and when I realized you’d never met the idiots before, I also found your dating account and opened a profile under a fake name just so I could stalk you better.”

“The first time I saw you,” he began, “I wanted to slap my name on your ass, let everyone know that I was going to be the only guy to tap that shit. You looked like a princess, Mel. An insanely hot princess with a perfect posture and unruly curls.” He smirked. “’Course, acting on it was out of the question. A fantasy.

“Tell me what you feel.” His tone had changed to cushion-soft. 

Jaime thumbed my chin, tilting my face to meet his gaze. Slowly, he brought his forehead to mine and closed his eyes, releasing a defeated breath. “Because I feel it, too.”

“We’re not in Europe,” I deadpanned.

“You feel pretty manly to me,” I breathed out, all jelly-legged with half-mast eyes. 

“And you feel like a woman worthy of a fight, Ms. Greene.”

“I think I like you,” I muttered, pressing my face to his muscled torso in a hug. 

I felt his heartbeat under my ear.  “I think I like you back.”

“So lost. So confused. So fucking mine. Owning someone has never felt this good.”

‘Dean Cole had his elbows on his desk, leaning forward, drinking her words like they were oxygen. And Vicious? He looked at her like she was his.’

‘He looked distracted, and if I had the courage, I’d want to believe it was me he was thinking about. His body looked cut and perfect, even through his jersey. It was worrisome. I should have known right there. The way I smiled to myself, like I owned him in some way. Like this perfect creature, that was now yelling to his friends from the sideline, looking animated, looking perfect, was under my spell.’

‘That didn’t feel forbidden, or bad. Just a boy and a girl liking each other.’

‘I sloped my chin down, biting a smile. He, too, grinned at his shoes. We were giddy. I liked that. I liked that and I hated that I liked that.’

I should get a medal for actually finishing this mess

elinabel hidalgo 

Ana Clara Moreno

read it because it was part of the series but there wasn’t much plot :/ 

j ♡

I only read this book for the sake of the series but I had no real interest in this story to be honest. I deliberately read 

 first because I wanted to see if I like the writing style in general and I did so I gave 

I hate age gap romances in general so I couldn't really enjoy a book/novella about a 26-year-old who slept with a 18-year-old school boy🫠 It's worse that she literally teached him. I'm just glad thr author made them legal haha

I don't have anything against them especially since I saw a glimpse of them in Vicious but I would never read about them by choice😅

When he hit on her and she reminded him of his homework💀 that's why I don't normally read this type of story that's so unromantic and weird omg😭 and then she thought about him (for the reader only seconds later) in bed..wtf💀

The way she thought about all those teenagers was so weird haha she talked like a pupil and not the teacher

I absolutely HATE when the author tries to justify a relationship which is obviously inappropriate by showing the younger one as really mature and experienced for their age. All fine and well but that doesn't mean it isn't inappropriate because IT IS🙃

To make matters worse it was boring as hell lol I was just there for the new view on Vicious and, God, he is a sociopath haha

Sophia

I only read this book for the sake of the series but I had no real interest in this story to be honest. I deliberately read Vicious first because I wanted to see if I like the writing style in general and I did so I gave Defy a try.

I hate age gap romances in general so I couldn't really enjoy a book/novella about a 26-year-old who slept with a 18-year-old school boy🫠 It's worse that she literally teached him. I'm just glad thr author made them legal haha

I don't have anything against them especially since I saw a glimpse of them in Vicious but I would never read about them by choice😅

When he hit on her and she reminded him of his homework💀 that's why I don't normally read this type of story that's so unromantic and weird omg😭 and then she thought about him (for the reader only seconds later) in bed..wtf💀

The way she thought about all those teenagers was so weird haha she talked like a pupil and not the teacher

I absolutely HATE when the author tries to justify a relationship which is obviously inappropriate by showing the younger one as really mature and experienced for their age. All fine and well but that doesn't mean it isn't inappropriate because IT IS🙃

To make matters worse it was boring as hell lol I was just there for the new view on Vicious and, God, he is a sociopath haha

Allison Freedman

4.75/5 ☆


I was INTRIGUED by Jamie and Mel’s characters when I found out in Pretty Reckless that SHE WAS HIS HIGHSCHOOL TEACHER. And I was sooo dang sad that there was no backstory. And then I stumbled upon this prequel and my god I struck gold. I can’t even begin to tell you how stoked I am that this series exists. Literally read 2 books in the All Saints High series and thought to myself these parents need their own books. And lo and behold baby. If this little novella sets the tone for the rest of the parents, I am gonna be ADDICTED. Minus .25 stars because damn it this needed to be longer.

I don’t mind the age-gap trope but he was still in high school and freshly 18

Elena

Jamie was ick in this book. That says something since I was obsessed with him in Daria’s book. 

Mel being Mel makes me gag. I mean who tf talks about a student the way she did? That’s deadass pedo behaviour. I mean 3 days after he turned 18 they started. 

Yeah, yeah, he initiated it. But she talked about his body as if she’s always looked at him that way. It’s disgusting omfl. 

I hate them together. I said what I said. 

Keira 💫

I don’t like Mel lol. 

Jamie was ick in this book. That says something since I was obsessed with him in Daria’s book. 

I still love him as a father. 

Mel being Mel makes me gag. I mean who tf talks about a student the way she did? That’s deadass pedo behaviour. I mean 3 days after he turned 18 they started. 

Yeah, yeah, he initiated it. But she talked about his body as if she’s always looked at him that way. It’s disgusting omfl. 

I hate them together. I said what I said. 



Defy is a smutty, insta-love, insta-lust short novella. Defy is a prequel to Vicious (Sinners of Saint #1). It is recommended, but unnecessary, to read Defy before reading Vicious.My name is Melody Greene, and I have a confession to make.I slept with my student, a senior in high school.Multiple times.I had multiple orgasms.In multiple positions.I slept with my student and I enjoyed it.I slept with my student and I'd do it all over again if I could turn back time.My name is Melody Greene, and I got kicked out of my position as a teacher and did my walk of shame a la Cersei Lannister from the principal's office, minutes after said principal threatened to call the cops on me.My name is Melody Greene, and I did something bad because it made me feel good.Here is why it was totally worth it.

Ashley

"I fell in love with you. It wasn't a beautiful process. Hell... It wasn't even romantic. But it happened." 

I thought I already wrote a review for this book but I just saw that I didn't, so here it is. 

I enjoyed this novella. It's pretty short and entertaining. 

It has forbidden love, age gap, and smut. (Though I did expect more smut scenes.)

There were some parts where I was like: "Oh my god- what am I reading" because there were some not normal things done by the characters. 

Overall, it's a 4.5/5 from me.

Kathleen Tom

I spend 10 hours on this book! 

I’m shocked, I was never a fans of Teacher & Student Love Affair. As much as I denied it, this book is something else. And I really love the storyline more than anything. ✌️

freya.nightwolf

Well, not every day you hear a story when a relationship between the student and the teacher is based on love and actually lasts. This one is quite a scandal [or "Scandalous" :D ]. I really liked their story and the way Mel actually stood up to all FHH, - whistling.

Jennifer Eggleston 

How Daria’s parents become a thing ...

Scandalouso! Quick and tawdry read that was enough with a HEA. Total fantasy read. If you want to know how Melody and Jamie came to be ... this is your story. Older woman and young man story.

Sven Test

Re-read update: still so good! 

I'm not a big fan of the woman being older but my goodness, this was written so incredibly well! I highly recommend it!

Mariyah

4/5 ⭐️ It was good. However, did not realize the age gap until I was nearing the end of the book.

vita

esse livro é horroroso de vdd n tem o q salvar nem eu gostei credo

marie

Magda Silva

allie

2/5⭐
⬇️
Lo cierto es que esta novela no me ha convencido.

En esta historia nos encontramos a Melody y Jamie. Melody es la profesora de Jamie, y desde el primer momento se sienten atraídos y muy conectados. Aunque no parece apropiado que un alumno salga con un profesor, a ellos no les importa y viven su historia de amor al máximo.

Los protagonistas no me han gustado mucho. Ni Melody ni Jamie. No he conseguido conectar con ninguno, aunque Melody me ha gustado más que Jamie. Con Jamie es que no he sentido ninguna conexión y no me ha gustado nada el personaje.
En cuanto a su relación me ha ocurrido algo parecido, no he terminado de conectar con ellos ni con su relación. Y no tiene nada que ver por su relación alumno-profesora, evidentemente eso no me ha importado, ha sido simplemente que yo no he sentido mucha conexión entre ellos y me ha parecido que ha ocurrido todo muy deprisa entre ellos. 


Algo que sí me ha gustado mucho ha sido que no les ha importado nunca el qué dirán. Siempre han hecho y han vivido lo que han sentido y sienten en ese momento sin importarles las apariencias ni nada por el estilo. Han hecho lo que han querido en todo momento guiándose por el corazón. 

"Defy" es una historia adictiva, entretenida y muy rápida de leer. Es una novela cortita que se lee súper rápido y te mantiene enganchada en todo momento. Es una historia que me ha enganchado y la he leído súper rápido, pero después no he conectado ni con los protagonistas ni con su relación.

Nedu

Nia Kharebashvili 

’”So... are you mine, Melody?”
Was I? Yeah. Without a shadow of a doubt, I was. God, were we really gonna do this?
I nodded, sniffing my runny nose. “No one else’s.”’


I didn’t expect to like it this much. But I did. And I don’t regret that I picked it up. 
But honestly, though? A better job could’ve been done. 
There’s only one question that’s gnawing on me right now: why do Mel so dirty like that?! Why make her a nosy, pouty pain in the ass in the later books when she’s nothing but a smart, sweet, loving human-being in “Defy?!” 


  ”She doesn’t need anybody. 
She can conquer the world, in her sensible shoes and knee-length dress, not giving a damn about what anyone thinks.”


She’s the only SOS female I connected with(and the only one who didn’t drive me nuts). She had such balance with her personality. Managed to pull off both soft and tough. She was a trapped angel but still somehow managed to keep it together and not to fall apart completely. Loving, loyal, vulnerable, beautiful young woman who didn’t deserve what she got and also, I’m sure, what she will get—even though I’ve yet to read it—in “Pretty Reckless.” 

And now, let me introduce you to my favorite HotHole: Jaime Followhill. 
What a man of dreams! But of course, despite that dreaminess, we just have to add a layer of insanity to his personality because—even though I don’t think that’s justifiable—he’s one of the HotHoles, right? 
I give up. I’m finally getting that it’s just how LJ Shen is. How she’s wired. Adding the nutty demeanor to every SOS boy. And in Jaime’s case it’s *drum roll please* stalking. 
Just when I was starting to think that he was the only sane out of the core four, he confesses that he’s been so infatuated by Mel that he started stalking her... ugh!
but yeah, as I said, I don’t really care anymore. 
Ignoring the stalking part, Jamie was really sweet and determined and genuine and somehow pure, to be honest. That’s what I liked about him the most. Compared to others he really is decent and it fits very well with Mel’s vulnerability which altogether creates an enchanting love story that I enjoyed very much!


  ’”Truth or dare?” he asks out of nowhere.
“Truth. Brave people always choose the truth.” I grin.
“Is it true that you’ll always be mine?” He lowers his mouth to my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin.
“It’s a truth. And sometimes, when you piss me off, it’s a dare. But it’s my life, and you’re a part of it. Always and forever” I say.
“Always and forever,” he repeats, and I hold on to my anchor, squeezing it—and my real-life anchor—hard.”


Their story was so beautiful and so heart-warming that I couldn’t stop grinning. They deserved better than a novella that which, not gonna lie, kind of felt obligatory. 
I loved Jaime’s determination and sensibility because he was, in a way, sensible. And I loved how melody let herself enjoy it because Jaime really was her anchor. 
I will always appreciate Melody Followhill. No matter what. And I’ll forever be bitter about the unfairness she was given.

Ella Zegarra

fallinallinlines

4,5⭐️
I liked this novella soo much!!! And I‘m actually really sad that Melody and Jamie got „only“ a novella and not a whole book. It was such a nice read.

Kyla

It was good a book! I liked the ending and how the characters decided to choose their happiness instead of worrying about the others. But idk when I was reading it I kinda hoping for something intense or suspense climax like that so I gave it 3.

Defy

Reviews

Highlights