L.J. Shen

Bad Cruz

GORGEOUS. why is it not on the booktok ??

siinsiiin

This was such a fun vacation read! What better way to enjoy a cruise than to read a cruise focused romance?! There are none. I know from experience 😆

I loved the main characters in this book and their constant back and forth. They found a way to break down each others walls and come out as better people for it, all while making a scene. The author has characters you’ll love, characters you’ll hate, and characters you’d really love to b$&@! slap. 

The only reason I gave it 4.5 and not 5 stars is because a part at the end that I did not love. Read it and then we can chat about that piece! 

If you’re looking for a light hearted romance summer vacay read, this is the one! 

The spice is there, but nothing too wild. 

This was such a fun vacation read! What better way to enjoy a cruise than to read a cruise focused romance?! There are none. I know from experience 😆

I loved the main characters in this book and their constant back and forth. They found a way to break down each others walls and come out as better people for it, all while making a scene. The author has characters you’ll love, characters you’ll hate, and characters you’d really love to b$&@! slap. 

The only reason I gave it 4.5 and not 5 stars is because a part at the end that I did not love. Read it and then we can chat about that piece! 

If you’re looking for a light hearted romance summer vacay read, this is the one! 

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

The spice is there, but nothing too wild. 

Shareca

Bad Cruz
L.J. Shen
★★★★★ + 🌶🌶🌶 + 🔪 (an 'almost' murder)

I don't know why y'all tried to steer me away from this book with the subpar reviews. Your efforts were really impressive... but I completely puckin' loved this, it is so witty.

As a romantic trope, I am not a fan of 'enemies-to-lovers' because I could never like someone I loathe, you know? However, Shen's rendition is sumptuous. Rather than being 'adversaries,' they are unrequitedly in love from afar (so they believe; they are actually madly in love with each other). Shen uses a refreshing dual viewpoint of Cruz and Tennessee. It was so wonderful to experience the love they professed for each other, without either of them knowing it for a large portion of the novel.

Tennesse was an amiable character; her non-swearing was adorable. Due to her need to grow up quickly because of Bear, she seemed to have this middle-aged mentality that was magnetic - though she was in her late-twenties. Tennessee's likability came from being herself. She was the best version of herself, flaws and all. Her limitations were well-known and she worked around them as best she could. Cruz understood who she was, how she acted, and still worked around her faults; it was so precious. The two were nicely balanced: the chaser being uncomfortable chasing, and the chased being uncomfortable being chased.

I adore inexperienced sex scenes a lot. Oral isn't something every girl knows how to give, receive, or even ask for. Not everyone does it ‘well’ at the onset, either. When a guy gently guides a girl during sex, I find it endearing, so I enjoyed those small romantic moments. The presence of an 'inexperienced' version of a woman protagonist in Tennessee (with a child) was refreshing, as it demonstrated that you can have any experience at any age.

But... Cruz was hot in all the best ways. He was rugged, sensual, and caring. The pornstache is also so wicked. He is the perfect fictional balance between masculinity and feminity and it is so puckin' desirable 🥺🥰

Turtle lover

LOVE THIS. ANOTHER COMFORT BOOK!

Not much drama for me to feel sad and cry. A unique plot. Funny funny funny. Moderate steamy scenes. More of about the characters. I LOVED IT. MR. AND MRS. W!!!

Daniella Cuesta

I’ve never been more upset by a book in my entire life. The summary I got before I downloaded felt so deceiving. You would think that the author would write a second chance romance with a single mom in a thoughtful way. But no. I’ve never wanted to sob about a woman’s story so much in my life. Poor Tennessee (her name is TENESSEE?!?!) has sex with her high school boyfriend ONE TIME and get preggo, all the while her boyfriend’s best friend was supposed to have asked her out first and has been pining for her this whole time. Which is fine, BUT THEN 13 years have passed and in this conservative, 1950’s era fucking town she doesn’t have ONE PERSON (who is not a piece of shit) on her side?! I’m so sorry but I literally could not handle a single part of this plot nor the entitled shithead of the supposed golden boy main character. I was hoping that his POV would save him but there was nothing redeemable about him. He was butthurt that his friend got to his crush first and then… let everyone and his mother treat her like shit for the next 13 years?! (Talk about her like she’s a hooker, accuse her of stealing, telling her she’s a loser, and a mess) as If she’s not already a poor single mother working at a diner. I didn’t know I was signing up for a highschool bully romance when I downloaded a SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE. The marketing for this thing was a complete sham.

I’m so sorry but in what decade is this shit written in?! I have loved this author’s work in the past, but this was intolerable. I finally had to end this fucking shit show when the poor girl Nessy and the bitch boy got hot and bothered and just when they were about to do the dirty he has the audacity to say he would have dated her (past tense) but that now this was all they could have so he could keep his golden boy reputation. I’m so sorry but bitch boys don’t deserve rights. So this is where I end the review and i hope anyone who has read through to this point spares themselves the distress this caused me.