I will be the first to admit that L.J. Shen is one of my favorite authors. I've read every one of her books and have never once been disappointed. So, when I received an ARC of her latest release, Playing with Fire, I knew that I was in for a treat. I had no idea though how quickly I would be consumed by this story.
Playing with Fire pulled me in from the very first page and didn't let go! This small town, college, bad boy romance brings all of the feels and all of the angst. This story is a heartfelt (and at moments, heartbreaking) read with truly unforgettable characters. I especially love how this author doesn't hesitate to create a heroine that is flawed in a world where the heroines almost always seem to be perfect.
In Playing with Fire, L.J. Shen takes a common troupe and gives it an original spin which takes this story to a whole other level. This is a beautifully told story of rebuilding yourself after tragedy and accepting that some things in life just can't be changed. Life does go on though and you can rise from the ashes.
I really enjoyed the world created in this book; the storytelling and the banter/dialogue are superb. One thing that L.J. Shen masters is her characters' internal dialogue. It's fun to get inside of their heads, and some of their thoughts really do bring comical relief to some otherwise serious moments. I seriously laughed out loud more than once, even with tears in my eyes.
Once again, I was not disappointed by L.J. Shen. Highly recommended, 5+ star read!
