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Midnight Blue
It should have been easy.
I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.
I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
The worst part is that I should have known better.
Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.
“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
Guess what? I didn’t listen.
I signed the contract.
World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.
My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.
Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.
Then he took my heart.
Then he took my all.
From bestselling author L.J. Shen, comes a new, standalone, contemporary romance.
I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.
I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
The worst part is that I should have known better.
Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.
“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
Guess what? I didn’t listen.
I signed the contract.
World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.
My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.
Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.
Then he took my heart.
Then he took my all.
From bestselling author L.J. Shen, comes a new, standalone, contemporary romance.
339 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2018
About the author
L.J. Shen
59 books49.3k followersL.J. Shen is 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 Elon Musk's tax bracket, and sassy heroines who bring them to their knees (for more reasons than one).
HEAs and groveling are guaranteed.
She lives in Florida with her husband, three sons, and a disturbingly active imagination.
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 Elon Musk's tax bracket, and sassy heroines who bring them to their knees (for more reasons than one).
HEAs and groveling are guaranteed.
She lives in Florida with her husband, three sons, and a disturbingly active imagination.
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,229 reviews
February 1, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! Midnight Blue (stand-alone). British bad boy rocker must be on his best behavior with innocent girl hired to baby-sit him while on tour!
“There was a fire to him and it was going to consume him one day.”
Midnight Blue (stand-alone) takes us on a world-wide tour with British bad boy rock Alex Winslow aka The Little Prince and his new “baby-sitter” aka assistant Indigo Bellamy, Indie aka Stardust aka New Girl.
Indie is to help keep the fresh-out-of-rehab Alex out of trouble and work closely with his management team. But first she must pass a-hole Alex bully-test. Alex goes easy on her and off on tour they go. Along the way a friendship is forged when Indie becomes Alex’s muse.
A journey of coping with addiction and painful pasts complicated by vindictive exes, traitors, lies, betrayal, shockers, surprises and jealousy. Indie is in over had head and Alex’s he’s in no shape to handle her fragile heart. A love doomed...
“When I fuck you, Stardust you’ll scream so hard, the whole city will know I’m finally inside you.”
Eleven words to describe Alex Winslow aka The Little Prince: A-hole, brooding, mercurial, complex, broken, flawed, aloof, unpredictable, selfish, reflective and unforgettable.
“His frown. His natural, bee-stung pout. Clean-shaven face, softened by youth but hardened by life.”
Eight words to describe Indigo Bellamy, Indie aka Stardust aka New Girl: Innocent, naive, responsible, broken, lonely, strong, reflective and vulnerable.
“I don’t want to fall in love with you,” she croaked. It wasn’t a statement as much as it was a plea.”
Midnight Blue, told from dual POVs, is an opposite attracts against-all-odds-love. Apart they are two lost souls with demons, together they are dynamite; combustible, powerful and devastating. The story-telling is effortless with poetry from Alex’s song-writing during their travels. The sexual tension is palpable. Their love inevitable. Their destiny inescapable. Spectacular!
“… Stardust was my main instrument. And it saddened me, because I knew I had to break her, too.”
***
Hero: ★★★★★
Heroine: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★★
Storytelling: ★★★★★
Sexual tension: ★★★★★
Sex scenes: ★★★★
Story ending: ★★★★1/2
******************************************
OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst: | HIGH FOCUS |
Darkness: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Humor: | LOW FOCUS |
Kink: | LOW FOCUS |
Romance: | HIGH FOCUS |
Sex frequency: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Suspense: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Thank you Liz for another awesome ARC(F)BR!
ARC provided to me by author L.J. Shen in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2018
***3 STARS***
Unfiltered review here. . . https://wp.me/p7ZSCH-49S
This was me when L.J. Shen announced Midnight Blue.
This was me after I read Midnight Blue.
Alex got on my damn nerves. He was just an asshole. Not a good asshole. Just a fucking asshole.
Indigo annoyed the shit out of me. She was just, just, just. . . a living and breathing contradiction. The girl couldn’t stand behind her convictions for a good 75-80% of the book. I can’t stand females like that. You know those girls who say they are going to leave a cheating boyfriend and never do. Yeah. That’s the kind of personality Indigo had to me.
Alex was like a knock off version of Vicious and Indigo was the thrift store version of Emilia from L.J. Shen’s previous novel, Vicious. Now Vicious was the perfect asshole. Alex was a 5 year old having a temper tantrum asshole.
There was that L.J. Shen flair that we have all grown to love and support within the book and I enjoyed that.
I’m going to do a quick summary of Midnight Blue with a few cliff notes of my own.
* Alex is a rock star who’s addicted to cocaine and booze.
* Alex has an international tour coming up and his agent and manager need him to stay sober.
* Indigo is hired as his “babysitter” to keep him away from drugs and alcohol.
* Indigo is getting paid $100,000 for the three month gig and she needs the money.
* Indigo promises herself that she won’t fuck him or whatever yet she let’s him finger bang her within the first week or some shit like that.
* When Alex tells Indigo to jump she thinks to herself, “No, I’m not going to do anything he says.”
* Her actions in that same moment ask, “How high?”
* All of this goes on for about 75% of the book until revelations are made and Indigo can’t finish the tour because Alex hurt her feelings.
* Alex does decide to take a year to find himself while Indigo is moping around back home like a lost puppy dog. Until the day finally comes that Alex returns and gives her a 6 paragraph monologue and all is forgiven and right in the world.
Here’s what really got me about Alex and Indigo’s relationship – for more than 3/4 of the book Alex kept talking about how he wanted his ex-girlfriend back. He even told Indigo that shit 50 million motherfucking times. Bish. . . Bish. . . Bish. . . Let some man tell me he wants to fuck his ex all the fucking time while telling me that I have an expiration date. Y’all. . . Alex would have been knocked upside his rockstar head. Get the fuck out of here. All I could think was, “Where the fuck did they pick up this stupid ass little girl.?” and “Where the fuck can we drop her ass back off?”
This bitch made a dress with lyrics from Alex’s music sewn on in tiny squares. WTF?!?!?!
Where do they do that shit at? Maybe she learned it at Groupies-R-Us. I told my sister that shit and she hung the phone up on me after laughing in my ear. I can’t stand my sister – tramp. JK! That’s my bitch!
Here’s the question everybody wants to know. . .
Do I recommend this book? No, not really. Unless you are a die hard L.J. Shen fan. If you are new to her work, I say start with, Sinners of Saints Series.
Will I read another book by this author? Of course. Just because I didn’t like one of her books doesn’t take away how much I loved the other ones and I look forward to them.
Follow all things messy. . .
Unfiltered review here. . . https://wp.me/p7ZSCH-49S
This was me when L.J. Shen announced Midnight Blue.
This was me after I read Midnight Blue.
Alex got on my damn nerves. He was just an asshole. Not a good asshole. Just a fucking asshole.
Indigo annoyed the shit out of me. She was just, just, just. . . a living and breathing contradiction. The girl couldn’t stand behind her convictions for a good 75-80% of the book. I can’t stand females like that. You know those girls who say they are going to leave a cheating boyfriend and never do. Yeah. That’s the kind of personality Indigo had to me.
Alex was like a knock off version of Vicious and Indigo was the thrift store version of Emilia from L.J. Shen’s previous novel, Vicious. Now Vicious was the perfect asshole. Alex was a 5 year old having a temper tantrum asshole.
There was that L.J. Shen flair that we have all grown to love and support within the book and I enjoyed that.
I’m going to do a quick summary of Midnight Blue with a few cliff notes of my own.
* Alex is a rock star who’s addicted to cocaine and booze.
* Alex has an international tour coming up and his agent and manager need him to stay sober.
* Indigo is hired as his “babysitter” to keep him away from drugs and alcohol.
* Indigo is getting paid $100,000 for the three month gig and she needs the money.
* Indigo promises herself that she won’t fuck him or whatever yet she let’s him finger bang her within the first week or some shit like that.
* When Alex tells Indigo to jump she thinks to herself, “No, I’m not going to do anything he says.”
* Her actions in that same moment ask, “How high?”
* All of this goes on for about 75% of the book until revelations are made and Indigo can’t finish the tour because Alex hurt her feelings.
* Alex does decide to take a year to find himself while Indigo is moping around back home like a lost puppy dog. Until the day finally comes that Alex returns and gives her a 6 paragraph monologue and all is forgiven and right in the world.
Here’s what really got me about Alex and Indigo’s relationship – for more than 3/4 of the book Alex kept talking about how he wanted his ex-girlfriend back. He even told Indigo that shit 50 million motherfucking times. Bish. . . Bish. . . Bish. . . Let some man tell me he wants to fuck his ex all the fucking time while telling me that I have an expiration date. Y’all. . . Alex would have been knocked upside his rockstar head. Get the fuck out of here. All I could think was, “Where the fuck did they pick up this stupid ass little girl.?” and “Where the fuck can we drop her ass back off?”
This bitch made a dress with lyrics from Alex’s music sewn on in tiny squares. WTF?!?!?!
Where do they do that shit at? Maybe she learned it at Groupies-R-Us. I told my sister that shit and she hung the phone up on me after laughing in my ear. I can’t stand my sister – tramp. JK! That’s my bitch!
Here’s the question everybody wants to know. . .
Do I recommend this book? No, not really. Unless you are a die hard L.J. Shen fan. If you are new to her work, I say start with, Sinners of Saints Series.
Will I read another book by this author? Of course. Just because I didn’t like one of her books doesn’t take away how much I loved the other ones and I look forward to them.
Follow all things messy. . .
March 14, 2018
"All true meanings are hidden. Life is full of secrets, and narrow-minded people, and sugar-coated, empty conversations that hold no weight. What's real is what's inside us. What's important is what we feel."
I'd been anticipating Midnight Blue ever since it was announced, not only because it is written by one of my favorite authors, but I had been dying for an amazing rock star romance, too. I knew if anybody could give it to me, it would be Leigh. I wasn't wrong either, because she knocked it out of the park with this one!
As soon as I began reading, I was drawn in by the gorgeous writing. If there is one thing I love more than this author's ability to create asshole hero perfection, it's her incredible writing style. I highlighted almost the whole damn book, and I usually never highlight much if it all when I'm reading. How does she make even the most simple things sounds so alluring? It's witchcraft I'm telling you! Lol
"For three months. I have a signed contract to prove it, and now I'm going to take what's inside you and put it in my notebook, because I'm empty and you're full.
It was weird to say the truth out loud. The truth was meant to be whispered, not shouted,..."
Alex and Indie are characters that couldn't be more different. One is cocky, callous, rude, guarded, and jaded, and the other is naive, sweet, down to earth, and selfless. Despite their differences, they do have something in common. Each is tortured in their own way. It's evident from the start that Indie is exactly what Alex needs to heal and grow, but as I kept reading, I found that he was exactly what she needed, too. It was fucking brilliant and beautiful in every way!
"He was no knight in shining armor, a far cry from a savior. He was just a broken, sad boy who was given a great gift that put him on display for the world to see and judge.
And that boy saved me.
Again."
I said a lot of shitty things about Alex up there, but that doesn't mean that I didn't love him. I absolutely did! Despite all his asshole bullshit, he was charming even when he didn't mean to be, caring even when he portrayed that he was the opposite, funny even when he wasn't trying, and talented both on the stage and in the bedroom. I adored the way he took things slowly with Indie because she wasn't as experienced as he was or ready to have sex right away. Somehow I don't see many rock stars being that patient.
Not only did I like Alex for who he was, but I hurt for him, too. Everyone in his life seemed to want a piece of him because of his fame. It was hard for him to see who actually cared about him and who loved what he could give them. Even I wasn't sure who was who most of the time, and I can only imagine how painful that must be. His family was the worst. I wanted to kick them in the face and hug him until he couldn't breathe.
“When I look at you, I see something broken that isn’t worth fixing. And you look at me like I’m a cheap thing to replace the expensive one that’s been stolen from you. See, we’re all vases. And you’re the one scattered on the floor, shattered beyond repair. So I’ll let someone else pick you up. It’s really that simple. Have fun with your temporary glue.”
Watching Alex's relationship with Indie evolve was a magnificent thing. Before he even realized it, he adored her. The way he valued her opinion and the degree to which she inspired him made it obvious. I could feel the way she touched his soul and reinvigorated him. She thawed his heart, and it warmed the hell out of mine.
Indie is easy to fall in love with. She's grounded, creative, sassy, smart, and loving. Most of all, I'm in awe of the way she always puts the people she loves before herself. I respect her so much for that. She is shockingly responsible for someone her age, and even if it's due to her circumstances, the way she worries about and takes care of her family makes me love the shit out of her. I wanted her to demand more from others too though and with time, she did. Indie was a pretty awesome chick from the get go, but her character developed into an even more spectacular human being by the end.
"Once upon a time a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairytale by now. Mortals and gods don't mix."
Midnight Blue is raw and emotional. The writing is breathtaking, the characters are endearing, the romance is beautiful, and the story is masterfully crafted. I know for a fact it will go on my list of favorite books of 2018. L. J. Shen never disappoints me, but this time she surpassed my expectations! If you are a fan of this author's work, phenomenal writing, assholes, and romance in general, I recommend this book to you!
I'd been anticipating Midnight Blue ever since it was announced, not only because it is written by one of my favorite authors, but I had been dying for an amazing rock star romance, too. I knew if anybody could give it to me, it would be Leigh. I wasn't wrong either, because she knocked it out of the park with this one!
As soon as I began reading, I was drawn in by the gorgeous writing. If there is one thing I love more than this author's ability to create asshole hero perfection, it's her incredible writing style. I highlighted almost the whole damn book, and I usually never highlight much if it all when I'm reading. How does she make even the most simple things sounds so alluring? It's witchcraft I'm telling you! Lol
"For three months. I have a signed contract to prove it, and now I'm going to take what's inside you and put it in my notebook, because I'm empty and you're full.
It was weird to say the truth out loud. The truth was meant to be whispered, not shouted,..."
Alex and Indie are characters that couldn't be more different. One is cocky, callous, rude, guarded, and jaded, and the other is naive, sweet, down to earth, and selfless. Despite their differences, they do have something in common. Each is tortured in their own way. It's evident from the start that Indie is exactly what Alex needs to heal and grow, but as I kept reading, I found that he was exactly what she needed, too. It was fucking brilliant and beautiful in every way!
"He was no knight in shining armor, a far cry from a savior. He was just a broken, sad boy who was given a great gift that put him on display for the world to see and judge.
And that boy saved me.
Again."
I said a lot of shitty things about Alex up there, but that doesn't mean that I didn't love him. I absolutely did! Despite all his asshole bullshit, he was charming even when he didn't mean to be, caring even when he portrayed that he was the opposite, funny even when he wasn't trying, and talented both on the stage and in the bedroom. I adored the way he took things slowly with Indie because she wasn't as experienced as he was or ready to have sex right away. Somehow I don't see many rock stars being that patient.
Not only did I like Alex for who he was, but I hurt for him, too. Everyone in his life seemed to want a piece of him because of his fame. It was hard for him to see who actually cared about him and who loved what he could give them. Even I wasn't sure who was who most of the time, and I can only imagine how painful that must be. His family was the worst. I wanted to kick them in the face and hug him until he couldn't breathe.
“When I look at you, I see something broken that isn’t worth fixing. And you look at me like I’m a cheap thing to replace the expensive one that’s been stolen from you. See, we’re all vases. And you’re the one scattered on the floor, shattered beyond repair. So I’ll let someone else pick you up. It’s really that simple. Have fun with your temporary glue.”
Watching Alex's relationship with Indie evolve was a magnificent thing. Before he even realized it, he adored her. The way he valued her opinion and the degree to which she inspired him made it obvious. I could feel the way she touched his soul and reinvigorated him. She thawed his heart, and it warmed the hell out of mine.
Indie is easy to fall in love with. She's grounded, creative, sassy, smart, and loving. Most of all, I'm in awe of the way she always puts the people she loves before herself. I respect her so much for that. She is shockingly responsible for someone her age, and even if it's due to her circumstances, the way she worries about and takes care of her family makes me love the shit out of her. I wanted her to demand more from others too though and with time, she did. Indie was a pretty awesome chick from the get go, but her character developed into an even more spectacular human being by the end.
"Once upon a time a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairytale by now. Mortals and gods don't mix."
Midnight Blue is raw and emotional. The writing is breathtaking, the characters are endearing, the romance is beautiful, and the story is masterfully crafted. I know for a fact it will go on my list of favorite books of 2018. L. J. Shen never disappoints me, but this time she surpassed my expectations! If you are a fan of this author's work, phenomenal writing, assholes, and romance in general, I recommend this book to you!
January 29, 2018
"The most important dance you’ll have in your life is one that does not require music."
I enjoyed this. I actually did.
There was some aspects to this story that made me laugh out loud and swoon and all that jazz. But unfortunately, those aspects were not as reoccurring as I would have liked. Maybe it was all the hype that I thought this was going to be another killer. I just can't get myself to give this more than 3 stars. But as I said, I really genuinely enjoyed it. If you are a romance reader, or a fan of the New Adult genre then you will probably enjoy this too (if you haven't already read it)
__________________
The Writing
This was my first L.J Shen novel and damn...You get a lot of stigma against erotica and new adult for lack of substance in the writing but just wait until you get a load of this author. The humor in this book was very tongue in cheek and a lot of the characters were bouncing off each other with lines. Honestly, it was a lot of why I enjoyed the book - the writing really sang out of the pages (no pun intended) (actually, yes... pun intended, fuck it.)
The Characters
The rockstar trope is one that is seen a lot in this genre. That doesn't go to say however that, it can not be well done.
We had our main girl Indigo Bellamy whom, I loved at both the start and finish of the story. During the middle, however... there were times where I wanted to punch the living shit out of her. I'm a pacifist, no really. I really wanted her to be stronger and stand her ground more often, despite the massive attraction. In all seriousness, I dislike when we get a female/male main character who gets treated like shit and is not a priority at all but they don't do anything about it because the love interest is just soooo fucking hot.
There was a point in the story where Alex (our fellow rockstar bad boy) blatantly said that Indie would be out of the story once he saw his old SO. The book did try and redeem Alex towards the end with a decent explanation of why he treated her that way, however no matter how decent the explanation is.. In my books, you're still a dickhead.
The Sex
I feel like a little piece of shit for saying this but hi, hello - My name is Alex and just like the Alex in this book I give a total amount of zero shits.
*ahem*
If. you. are. going. to. build. up. the. anticipation. of .sex .between. two. characters. for. more. than. 65%. of. the. damn. book..... You. better. fucking. make. it. worth. my. damn. while.
We got a whole lot of "when I fuck you" and "I'm going to fuck you" and it was a great element in building up the sexual tension and I was on my fucking toes waiting for these two babies to get it onnnnn. It really makes me laugh now that I have such a problem with this, maybe it's because I've read so much romance over the years... It's becoming a pattern now. But at the end of alll that build up - when they do fuck for the first time... We got three pages.
read that again.
let it sink in.
In nooooo way am I saying that the sex needs to be longer or descriptive or anything like that at all. However all I'm trying to epitomize is the anti-climax that I felt as a reader.
This also works with a lot of other genres in different aspects. If the author is building something up for a while, and at the end it feels like all that happened was a balloon was let go and it slowly started to deflate. That soundtrack of the balloon losing air is literally the soundtrack of my heart while I read this.
The End
In hindsight, after finishing the book - During the end chapters, I really started to fall in love with Alex and Indie. Maybe it was both of them started to show their strength for each other. We got Indie standing her ground and not letting herself get hurt and we also got Alex gaining touch with humanity and coming down from the addiction he suffered. I was proud of both of them at the end of the book.
There were so many plot twists that I did not see coming. I was so glad that I finished it to the last word.
Can I just say...I really want to read a Lucas story. (please)
I'm definitely going to check out other works by Shen and sink myself into the wonderful worlds and writing that it provides.
I enjoyed this. I actually did.
There was some aspects to this story that made me laugh out loud and swoon and all that jazz. But unfortunately, those aspects were not as reoccurring as I would have liked. Maybe it was all the hype that I thought this was going to be another killer. I just can't get myself to give this more than 3 stars. But as I said, I really genuinely enjoyed it. If you are a romance reader, or a fan of the New Adult genre then you will probably enjoy this too (if you haven't already read it)
__________________
The Writing
How is your soul feeling today?
This was my first L.J Shen novel and damn...You get a lot of stigma against erotica and new adult for lack of substance in the writing but just wait until you get a load of this author. The humor in this book was very tongue in cheek and a lot of the characters were bouncing off each other with lines. Honestly, it was a lot of why I enjoyed the book - the writing really sang out of the pages (no pun intended) (actually, yes... pun intended, fuck it.)
Were they vying for The Most Boring Conversation in the World award? Because they sure as hell had my vote.
The Characters
The rockstar trope is one that is seen a lot in this genre. That doesn't go to say however that, it can not be well done.
We had our main girl Indigo Bellamy whom, I loved at both the start and finish of the story. During the middle, however... there were times where I wanted to punch the living shit out of her. I'm a pacifist, no really. I really wanted her to be stronger and stand her ground more often, despite the massive attraction. In all seriousness, I dislike when we get a female/male main character who gets treated like shit and is not a priority at all but they don't do anything about it because the love interest is just soooo fucking hot.
"I waited for many things, but a few minutes later, I heard the door open and shut, and knew he’d left me there, like the disposable fuck doll he’d wanted me to feel like."
There was a point in the story where Alex (our fellow rockstar bad boy) blatantly said that Indie would be out of the story once he saw his old SO. The book did try and redeem Alex towards the end with a decent explanation of why he treated her that way, however no matter how decent the explanation is.. In my books, you're still a dickhead.
The Sex
We needed each other. Now. On this tour. Like air, and oxygen, and the pulse beneath our flesh. For once, I understood what he’d meant about being above gravity.
I feel like a little piece of shit for saying this but hi, hello - My name is Alex and just like the Alex in this book I give a total amount of zero shits.
*ahem*
If. you. are. going. to. build. up. the. anticipation. of .sex .between. two. characters. for. more. than. 65%. of. the. damn. book..... You. better. fucking. make. it. worth. my. damn. while.
We got a whole lot of "when I fuck you" and "I'm going to fuck you" and it was a great element in building up the sexual tension and I was on my fucking toes waiting for these two babies to get it onnnnn. It really makes me laugh now that I have such a problem with this, maybe it's because I've read so much romance over the years... It's becoming a pattern now. But at the end of alll that build up - when they do fuck for the first time... We got three pages.
read that again.
let it sink in.
In nooooo way am I saying that the sex needs to be longer or descriptive or anything like that at all. However all I'm trying to epitomize is the anti-climax that I felt as a reader.
This also works with a lot of other genres in different aspects. If the author is building something up for a while, and at the end it feels like all that happened was a balloon was let go and it slowly started to deflate. That soundtrack of the balloon losing air is literally the soundtrack of my heart while I read this.
The End
In hindsight, after finishing the book - During the end chapters, I really started to fall in love with Alex and Indie. Maybe it was both of them started to show their strength for each other. We got Indie standing her ground and not letting herself get hurt and we also got Alex gaining touch with humanity and coming down from the addiction he suffered. I was proud of both of them at the end of the book.
Then you came in, walked away, and guess what? Now I know. I know I’m incomplete and my soul, which I thought was dying, is actually in Los Angeles, riding a French bike in a ridiculous dress.
There were so many plot twists that I did not see coming. I was so glad that I finished it to the last word.
Can I just say...I really want to read a Lucas story. (please)
I'm definitely going to check out other works by Shen and sink myself into the wonderful worlds and writing that it provides.
And I will do anything for you, not because you’re my muse or my salvation or my best lay, but because you’re inside me, like an organ, like a vital thing I cannot function without. I don’t even want you at this point. I need you. It’s different, and carnal, and completely necessary for my existence.
January 20, 2018
5 STARS
Hands down my top favorite rockstar romance ever. Full of angst, beautifully broken characters, sizzling romance and a plot that keeps you glued to the pages from beginning to finish, it's no wonder Midnight Blue is one of my first top reads of 2018. I loved it SO HARD.
A British bad-boy rockstar? Sign me up, I say! Make that rockstar tortured, beautifully broken, and damaged almost beyond repair? I'm putty in your hands. I'm no stranger to Shen's work, but this hero that she's created with Alex Winslow, is easily my favorite of hers to date. This man was just so perfectly imperfect. A recovering addict, cynical and broken, and determined to throw pain at others to suffocate the pain he's suffering deep down. The man was just so broken, I didn't know whether I wanted to hug him or slap him half the time. Though, admittedly, I wanted to bang him ALL of the time.
Le sigh.
When his self destructive behavior threatens to destroy his career unless he gets back on track, his team hires him a babysitter in the form of the young, beautiful, and desperate to save her family from poverty Indigo Bellamy. Indie isn't exactly thrilled to babysit a spoiled and tantrum spoiled rockstar by following him on tour for three months, but her family is in desperate need of money and Winslow's team is offering her a ridiculous amount of money. The Brit is determined to seduce her, and she's determined to resist his charm.
The sexual tension and chemistry between these two is instant. The feisty barbs, the antagonistic arguments, the undeniable attraction, all of them blend together into a connection that practically burns through the pages.
Though Indie is young and mostly inexperienced, she's no blushing ingenue. This is a girl that gives just as hard as she gets, and Alex definitely gives it hard. This is a man that doesn't mince words or shy away from being rude, crude, and offensive. I loved the way Indie stood up for herself and put him in his place.
This was a delicious slow burn full of angst and plenty of twists. I was glued to the pages from beginning to finish.
I've read a lot of rockstar romances, but this one felt like it was custom written for me. I loved absolutely everything about it; the characters, the romance, the writing. I swear, I had highlighted half the book with quotes. I couldn't get enough of LJ Shen's words.
She's written some amazing books in the past, but this is definitely my top favorite of hers. If you're a fan of this author, Midnight Blue is simply not to be missed.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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He was larger than life. A one-man show, even when he was off the stage.
Hands down my top favorite rockstar romance ever. Full of angst, beautifully broken characters, sizzling romance and a plot that keeps you glued to the pages from beginning to finish, it's no wonder Midnight Blue is one of my first top reads of 2018. I loved it SO HARD.
A British bad-boy rockstar? Sign me up, I say! Make that rockstar tortured, beautifully broken, and damaged almost beyond repair? I'm putty in your hands. I'm no stranger to Shen's work, but this hero that she's created with Alex Winslow, is easily my favorite of hers to date. This man was just so perfectly imperfect. A recovering addict, cynical and broken, and determined to throw pain at others to suffocate the pain he's suffering deep down. The man was just so broken, I didn't know whether I wanted to hug him or slap him half the time. Though, admittedly, I wanted to bang him ALL of the time.
“When I finally lay my hands on you—and make no mistakes, Stardust, I will—you will be crying, all right. My name. Over. And. Over. Again.”
Le sigh.
When his self destructive behavior threatens to destroy his career unless he gets back on track, his team hires him a babysitter in the form of the young, beautiful, and desperate to save her family from poverty Indigo Bellamy. Indie isn't exactly thrilled to babysit a spoiled and tantrum spoiled rockstar by following him on tour for three months, but her family is in desperate need of money and Winslow's team is offering her a ridiculous amount of money. The Brit is determined to seduce her, and she's determined to resist his charm.
Relax, heart.
Take a deep breath, heart.
The sexual tension and chemistry between these two is instant. The feisty barbs, the antagonistic arguments, the undeniable attraction, all of them blend together into a connection that practically burns through the pages.
Though Indie is young and mostly inexperienced, she's no blushing ingenue. This is a girl that gives just as hard as she gets, and Alex definitely gives it hard. This is a man that doesn't mince words or shy away from being rude, crude, and offensive. I loved the way Indie stood up for herself and put him in his place.
This was a delicious slow burn full of angst and plenty of twists. I was glued to the pages from beginning to finish.
I've read a lot of rockstar romances, but this one felt like it was custom written for me. I loved absolutely everything about it; the characters, the romance, the writing. I swear, I had highlighted half the book with quotes. I couldn't get enough of LJ Shen's words.
She's written some amazing books in the past, but this is definitely my top favorite of hers. If you're a fan of this author, Midnight Blue is simply not to be missed.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
July 11, 2018
5 "Broken Prince" Stars
I am in love with Alex Winslow! He has stolen my heart and imprinted on my romance loving soul.
We all know L.J. Shen writes some of the best alphas and assholes out there. It’s even in her motto…bringing alphas to their knees. However, with Midnight Blue she surpasses ALL expectations. The writing is AMAZING, the characters are complex, and the action is entertaining. The drama and angst are definitely ramped up in this one. Gird your loins, folks! This world tour will leave you panting for more!
After my first introduction to Alex, I was in AWE. The complexity of his character paired with his initial feelings toward Indie set up a story that I knew would be entertaining to watch. The chemistry between the two of them is explosive.
And trust me, they do not disappoint!
But here’s what I absolutely loved—The writing! You weren’t expecting that, were you? Hands down, this is LJ’s best writing to date! It’s emotive and evocative of the flutters you get in your belly when you fall in love. I felt all the feels. There are two chapters, in particular, that almost brought me to my knees (see what I did there?) when I read them. I felt everything the characters were feeling. My heart broke and stitched together so many times while reading it. Seriously amazing writing, peeps.
And then there are the characters. Alex and Indie are both flawed, but true fighters. You want to know what makes them tick and you want to root for them to be better and do better. It also doesn’t hurt that Alex is a filthy mouthed sex god either. I’m always down for that!!
The secondary characters are interesting. I really enjoyed the story within the story. Which brings me to my last point.
The plot. All I’ll say is that you think you know what’s going to happen, but you don’t! Hahahahaha
Another fantastic read from an amazing author! I highly recommend Midnight Blue. #OneClick this sexy mofo is soon as you possibly can!
February 10, 2019
This was either so fucking good or my poor soul was too book-starved after not having been able to touch a single book for 20 days.
Although, I suspect it’s the former because I’m in love with this book.
QUICK REVIEW:
Enjoyment: 4.5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Storyline: 5/5
Hero: 5/5
Heroine: 5/5
Secondary characters: 5/5
Hotness/steam: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Angst: 5/5
Darkness level: 2/5
Humor: 3/5
Depth of the book: 5/5
POV: dual, 1st person
Triggers:
January 28, 2018
Once upon a time, a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god.
MIDNIGHT BLUE: is a standalone romance novel by L.J. Shen. Spoken in ‘Dual Perspectives’. In this we meet 'Alex Winslow' & 'Indigo Bellamy'.
Knowing that L.J. Shen was bringing us a rocker book all us stalker whores jumped on the band wagon and did what we’re not shameless to admit we begged on crawled knees to get our grubby little hands on this, this was one of my most highly anticipated January reads.
In the ‘Prologue’ we read that twenty-seven year old British rockstar Alex Winslow (the twelve time Grammy award winner) had gone off the rails yet again with another one of his famous meltdowns, busted for DUI and possession of drugs has him spending a stint in jail then rehab which had his agent going into a tailspin and hiring another nanny to keep him in line.
Six Months Later
This is where twenty-one year old Indigo (aka Indi) comes into the story, she's hired to shadow his every step to make sure he doesn't go off the wagon again. Indigo has the world on her shoulders, both her and her brother were dealt a rough hand when they were orphaned at such a young age when both parents were ripped out of their lives tragically. She's living with her brother and his young family in cramped, run down quarters with a brother going down a slippery slope of alcoholism. So when the perfect job literally lands in her lap who is she to turn it down. It could change their lives forever. Three months on the road with a rock god.
Three hundred thousand dollars, three months, all my financial problems-gone
Alex doesn't make life easy for Indi, he wants her gone. He's rude, he's arrogant, but oh so slowly Indi breaks down his walls and crawls under his skin.
Disgusting. Gorgeous. Rude. Sexy. Screwed-up. Witty. Broody. Unbearable. Trouble. Trouble. Alex Winslow was all those things and more.
What I loved the most about Indi's character was her realness, she was sweet but tough, she gave as good as she got, she was just like you or I, her one passion was making her own clothing, and she never worshipped the ground Alex walked on which endeared me to her so much.
" You're like a piece of delicious toffee in a thin wrapper. It's tedious work to peel your layers off, but whatever's waiting for me inside is too sweet to pass. I'm about to smash those walls of yours to dust. It will take you years building them back.
I’m in the minority when it comes to this book, it’s that clique it’s not the book or the author it’s me saying and this rings more true when it came to reading this book than ever before because I’m sitting amongst a wide sea of 5 star ratings, before I noticed that there were other genres out there other than rocker, rock star books were all I read, I loved the bad boy persona, the drugs, the booze, the endless out of control parties, the sex, the cheating, all things taboo I associated with our bad boy rock stars.
So jumping into ‘Midnight Blue’ that’s what I had high hopes of reading take away the full out rocker expectation and instead I’m left with a fast paced romance instead. I'm not going to lie I struggled with this book, where others got the angst and the feels I was left deflated, because all that I've come to associate with a rocker book I didn't get.
March 9, 2020
Ms Shen usually either blows my mind by her talent, as in Vicious, or disappoints me greatly, as she did in the rest of the Sinners series.
As for Midnight Blue, I disliked the first half of it and thought the second half was quite good but unfortunately, that couldn’t save the book for me.
3 stars out of 2,5
The writing:
- This is a long book with approximately 350 pages.
- It is told by dual point of view, both by Indie and Alex.
- The writing is talented as always because Ms. Shen has a skilled way of telling a story. Her sentences sound like a lyric or a poem most of the time. However, it doesn't make the book good enough.
Let's make no mistake, there are mind-blowing sentences like the ones below:
Once upon a time, a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairy tale by now. Mortals and gods don’t mix.
***
I shut him up with a kiss. Alex thought about dying, and I thought about how I’d do anything to keep him alive, even if it killed me.
However, here, once again, I saw that only magnificent sentences coming together don't make a magnificent book. The book has to have a soul that I could feel and characters that I would relate to.
Despite the glorious sentences and the splendid story-telling, the book felt lacking to me. It just felt tailored, mastered and crafted but soulless to me. I was looking at a piece of art and not feeling anything.
Oh, well, maybe it is just me - me and the book couldn't connect - unmatching DNAs and all :)))
Reading is subjective for all I know so this is me not being able to connect with this book and its characters.
Characters:
The hero, ALEX:
One of the main characters is Alex, who is a troubled, brooding, arrogant, rude and selfish guy.
He is a drug addict and an alcoholic rock star.
However, worst of all, he is totally obsessed with her ex-girlfriend/ex-fiancé Fallon, who cheated on him with his best friend.
Alex is obsessed about taking her back, trying to prove that he is the best lover as he always tries to prove he is the best musician etc, and at the same time by stealing her back, he will be taking his revenge on his ex-best friend.
***********************************************
Because he is a vicious character, one feels the need to compare Alex with Baron Spencer, aka Vicious.
He is no “Vicious”, that’s for sure.
Vicious was obsessed with the heroine, Emilia whereas Alex is obsessed with his ex for the first half of the book, which made it impossible for me to like him.
The heroine, INDIGO or INDIE aka BLUE/STARDUST:
She is a young girl with silver blue hair, indigo eyes and she wears weird dresses that she herself sews.
When Alex first sees her, he thinks she is not attractive with her thin body, flat chest and unremarkable face that has lots of freckles on it.
This makes me think of Emilia in Vicious, who had pink hair and weird dresses.
Huh, coincidence, right?
Well, it really must be a coincidence that Indie reminds me of Emilia with her physical looks. Right? Or maybe my overworking imagination!? Otherwise, it would be an insult to our memory of the book Vicious...
***********************************************
Anyways, back to the book. Indie is hired as a babysitter for the rock-star to watch him so that he didn’t put himself in trouble during the three-month tour they are on. She will make sure he doesn’t do drugs, cocaine, alcohol, etc.
***********************************************
Well, I can’t say she did her job well, because most of the time, Blake, who is Alex’s manager, was watching him.
However, because Indie had some sass and a good enough motive to earn the money she will be paid after 3 months, she was able to deal with Alex better than the other 10 or so nannies they hired before.
***********************************************
When Alex realizes how innocent and interesting Indie is, he starts to show some interest in her. But, it is really when he sees his frenemy Lucas shows a romantic interest in Indie that he decides to claim her, just to piss Lucas and get his revenge on him for helping his ex-best friend to steal his ex-fiancé.
You see, it all goes back to his ex… Whatever he does, he does it, thinking of her! That was so annoying to read for the first half of the book.
Even when he is proposing an “only-sex” relationship to Indie, Alex says that they have an expiration date and they will last until the day he gets Fallon back.
Indie realizes how humiliating his offer is and she answers to him saying she would never sleep with him.
Ha, ha, she fails miserably, of course!
The thing is, I hate women who say something and then, fail to do it. Indie was the epitome of a fake sassy woman!
So when Indie let him fingerf*ck her, or later when she let him do oral sex and when finally she had sex with him, she was a silly girl in my eyes, who kept sassing that she was no groupie of him and won’t act like them, but then, accepting to be a fun replacement until Alex gets the real deal back!
Sassy woman, my as*!
I was now the girl I’d always detested. The one who took something, even though she wanted everything, because in the end, she settled for less.
***
I hated that she was the perfect combination between sweet and tough, because it made letting her go less easy. And letting her go was not fucking optional. I had Fallon to recollect...
So, I am sorry but I DO NOT CARE that Alex fell in love with Indie in the process! I just cannot forget how it all started.
I plucked the notepad and Sharpie out of Tania’s case and stared up at my muse, waiting for her to feed me spoonfuls of her soul.
Knowing I didn’t deserve her.
Knowing she didn’t deserve this.
Knowing how fucked everything was, but not being able to stop, because I wanted revenge, and an album, and solace.
And Indie? She would get her money—hell, I might even throw in a couple more hundred grand to sweeten the deal for her—and I’d be to her what I was to so many others. A good story to tell her mates when she was piss-drunk at a hen party. I fucked a rock star once, and it was great.
Alex uses her as his muse for new songs because she is pure, untainted and inspiring.
He uses her to clean his dirty soul and fill that dark soul of his with some light of hers.
She falls for the broken prince side of Alex, who once had dreams of his own before he got so big in the industry but then, he lost his soul in the process of climbing the stairs to being a world-famous rock-star.
He’d lost his soul somewhere along the way, and I was just another piggybank he shook, trying to see if what was inside resembled what he was looking for. And at that moment, I knew I’d take it. He was going to break the pig, and I was going to let him.
She sees how much of a mess Alex is, and that he is an addict to be controlled 24/7, but she still settles for whatever he can give her.
This may be romantic for some, but it was annoying to watch that how she talked and how she acted didn’t match at all.
***********************************************
Maybe because, he was obsessed with his ex and with a desire for revenge for so long or maybe because he didn’t find her beautiful at first, I never felt their connection.
I never believed in their attraction, feelings and all.
I never felt or believed in their love.
***********************************************
Ms. Shen uses amazing sentences to describe how they feel. Poetic sentences that are supposed to stab me in the heart and make me bleed and make sure I see how much they are feeling for each other but I was reading them in an aloof mood, unfortunately, never believing they would make an actual couple, interested in each other.
And the songs, the lyrics…
They are awesome, too. In a love story I was into, they would mean a lot to me, but in Alex and Indie’s story, they didn’t do that effect on me. I just said, “Huh, this song’s lyrics are good.” and went on reading.
In the second half of the book, things really get better, as most readers mention in their reviews.
Drama about families of Alex and then, the family of Indigo follow one another.
The plot twist, or let me say, “the plotting of all the others”, was a bit far-fetched but OK, I am buying it because maybe the world of the famous is that crazy, I don’t know!
***********************************************
The book has a good resolution and a satisfying ending despite its unbalanced focus all along.
I liked how Alex tried to heal and redeem himself. Oh, I still don’t like any of the characters in this book but Alex gets a bit better in the second half of the book. As for Indie, well, I don’t know, I never could relate to her, I am afraid.
SAFETY:
There is no cheating between Alex and Indie after they become a thing and before that,
Final Note:
If you have loved VICIOUS as much as I did and hated the rest of the series, you will most probably dislike this book, as well. However, I cannot know for sure, of course.
If you didn’t like Vicious much but loved the rest of the series, maybe this also might appeal to you – but again, I can’t know for sure, this is just my best guess.
Or, if you love Ms. Shen’s writing like me, then, you can always give her books a chance, in the hope for coming across another epic read from her. Vicious was epic for me, this one wasn’t but that doesn’t mean I won’t read from her in the future. I will try the next ones in the hope for another great story. This one just didn’t work for me.
As for Midnight Blue, I disliked the first half of it and thought the second half was quite good but unfortunately, that couldn’t save the book for me.
3 stars out of 2,5
The writing:
- This is a long book with approximately 350 pages.
- It is told by dual point of view, both by Indie and Alex.
- The writing is talented as always because Ms. Shen has a skilled way of telling a story. Her sentences sound like a lyric or a poem most of the time. However, it doesn't make the book good enough.
Let's make no mistake, there are mind-blowing sentences like the ones below:
Once upon a time, a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairy tale by now. Mortals and gods don’t mix.
***
I shut him up with a kiss. Alex thought about dying, and I thought about how I’d do anything to keep him alive, even if it killed me.
However, here, once again, I saw that only magnificent sentences coming together don't make a magnificent book. The book has to have a soul that I could feel and characters that I would relate to.
Despite the glorious sentences and the splendid story-telling, the book felt lacking to me. It just felt tailored, mastered and crafted but soulless to me. I was looking at a piece of art and not feeling anything.
Oh, well, maybe it is just me - me and the book couldn't connect - unmatching DNAs and all :)))
Reading is subjective for all I know so this is me not being able to connect with this book and its characters.
Characters:
The hero, ALEX:
One of the main characters is Alex, who is a troubled, brooding, arrogant, rude and selfish guy.
He is a drug addict and an alcoholic rock star.
However, worst of all, he is totally obsessed with her ex-girlfriend/ex-fiancé Fallon, who cheated on him with his best friend.
Alex is obsessed about taking her back, trying to prove that he is the best lover as he always tries to prove he is the best musician etc, and at the same time by stealing her back, he will be taking his revenge on his ex-best friend.
***********************************************
Because he is a vicious character, one feels the need to compare Alex with Baron Spencer, aka Vicious.
He is no “Vicious”, that’s for sure.
Vicious was obsessed with the heroine, Emilia whereas Alex is obsessed with his ex for the first half of the book, which made it impossible for me to like him.
The heroine, INDIGO or INDIE aka BLUE/STARDUST:
She is a young girl with silver blue hair, indigo eyes and she wears weird dresses that she herself sews.
When Alex first sees her, he thinks she is not attractive with her thin body, flat chest and unremarkable face that has lots of freckles on it.
This makes me think of Emilia in Vicious, who had pink hair and weird dresses.
Huh, coincidence, right?
Well, it really must be a coincidence that Indie reminds me of Emilia with her physical looks. Right? Or maybe my overworking imagination!? Otherwise, it would be an insult to our memory of the book Vicious...
***********************************************
Anyways, back to the book. Indie is hired as a babysitter for the rock-star to watch him so that he didn’t put himself in trouble during the three-month tour they are on. She will make sure he doesn’t do drugs, cocaine, alcohol, etc.
***********************************************
Well, I can’t say she did her job well, because most of the time, Blake, who is Alex’s manager, was watching him.
However, because Indie had some sass and a good enough motive to earn the money she will be paid after 3 months, she was able to deal with Alex better than the other 10 or so nannies they hired before.
***********************************************
When Alex realizes how innocent and interesting Indie is, he starts to show some interest in her. But, it is really when he sees his frenemy Lucas shows a romantic interest in Indie that he decides to claim her, just to piss Lucas and get his revenge on him for helping his ex-best friend to steal his ex-fiancé.
You see, it all goes back to his ex… Whatever he does, he does it, thinking of her! That was so annoying to read for the first half of the book.
Even when he is proposing an “only-sex” relationship to Indie, Alex says that they have an expiration date and they will last until the day he gets Fallon back.
Indie realizes how humiliating his offer is and she answers to him saying she would never sleep with him.
Ha, ha, she fails miserably, of course!
The thing is, I hate women who say something and then, fail to do it. Indie was the epitome of a fake sassy woman!
So when Indie let him fingerf*ck her, or later when she let him do oral sex and when finally she had sex with him, she was a silly girl in my eyes, who kept sassing that she was no groupie of him and won’t act like them, but then, accepting to be a fun replacement until Alex gets the real deal back!
Sassy woman, my as*!
I was now the girl I’d always detested. The one who took something, even though she wanted everything, because in the end, she settled for less.
***
I hated that she was the perfect combination between sweet and tough, because it made letting her go less easy. And letting her go was not fucking optional. I had Fallon to recollect...
So, I am sorry but I DO NOT CARE that Alex fell in love with Indie in the process! I just cannot forget how it all started.
I plucked the notepad and Sharpie out of Tania’s case and stared up at my muse, waiting for her to feed me spoonfuls of her soul.
Knowing I didn’t deserve her.
Knowing she didn’t deserve this.
Knowing how fucked everything was, but not being able to stop, because I wanted revenge, and an album, and solace.
And Indie? She would get her money—hell, I might even throw in a couple more hundred grand to sweeten the deal for her—and I’d be to her what I was to so many others. A good story to tell her mates when she was piss-drunk at a hen party. I fucked a rock star once, and it was great.
Alex uses her as his muse for new songs because she is pure, untainted and inspiring.
He uses her to clean his dirty soul and fill that dark soul of his with some light of hers.
She falls for the broken prince side of Alex, who once had dreams of his own before he got so big in the industry but then, he lost his soul in the process of climbing the stairs to being a world-famous rock-star.
He’d lost his soul somewhere along the way, and I was just another piggybank he shook, trying to see if what was inside resembled what he was looking for. And at that moment, I knew I’d take it. He was going to break the pig, and I was going to let him.
She sees how much of a mess Alex is, and that he is an addict to be controlled 24/7, but she still settles for whatever he can give her.
This may be romantic for some, but it was annoying to watch that how she talked and how she acted didn’t match at all.
***********************************************
Maybe because, he was obsessed with his ex and with a desire for revenge for so long or maybe because he didn’t find her beautiful at first, I never felt their connection.
I never believed in their attraction, feelings and all.
I never felt or believed in their love.
***********************************************
Ms. Shen uses amazing sentences to describe how they feel. Poetic sentences that are supposed to stab me in the heart and make me bleed and make sure I see how much they are feeling for each other but I was reading them in an aloof mood, unfortunately, never believing they would make an actual couple, interested in each other.
And the songs, the lyrics…
They are awesome, too. In a love story I was into, they would mean a lot to me, but in Alex and Indie’s story, they didn’t do that effect on me. I just said, “Huh, this song’s lyrics are good.” and went on reading.
In the second half of the book, things really get better, as most readers mention in their reviews.
Drama about families of Alex and then, the family of Indigo follow one another.
The plot twist, or let me say, “the plotting of all the others”, was a bit far-fetched but OK, I am buying it because maybe the world of the famous is that crazy, I don’t know!
***********************************************
The book has a good resolution and a satisfying ending despite its unbalanced focus all along.
I liked how Alex tried to heal and redeem himself. Oh, I still don’t like any of the characters in this book but Alex gets a bit better in the second half of the book. As for Indie, well, I don’t know, I never could relate to her, I am afraid.
SAFETY:
There is no cheating between Alex and Indie after they become a thing and before that,
Final Note:
If you have loved VICIOUS as much as I did and hated the rest of the series, you will most probably dislike this book, as well. However, I cannot know for sure, of course.
If you didn’t like Vicious much but loved the rest of the series, maybe this also might appeal to you – but again, I can’t know for sure, this is just my best guess.
Or, if you love Ms. Shen’s writing like me, then, you can always give her books a chance, in the hope for coming across another epic read from her. Vicious was epic for me, this one wasn’t but that doesn’t mean I won’t read from her in the future. I will try the next ones in the hope for another great story. This one just didn’t work for me.
January 17, 2018
"Alex Winslow was a tornado, impacting everything and everyone on his way to destruction."
What do I say? What do I even say to that! This is seriously one of those reviews where you just want to scream, "GO READ THIS BOOK. DON'T BOTHER WITH REVIEWS. ONE CLICK. READ RIGHT NOW." It's phenomenal, and if you are a fan of angst... whew, baby...
THIS IS ALL FOR ANGST LOVERS!
I'm telling you, I inhaled Midnight Blue. I couldn't take a breath until it was done. Angsty, steamy, turbulent, gritty, beautiful, my heart was so full of feels at the end of it! L.J. Shen nailed this. If you liked Thoughtless by SC Stephens, The Mighty Storm by Samantha Towle, you’ll DEVOUR Midnight Blue! It’s a rip your heart out and put it back together kind of read. Just brimming with heart and soul. Exquisitely written. I feel ruined by it. RUINED! I had to take a minute to collect my thoughts before I could even process reviewing.
THIS BOOK IS MAGIC.
Shen is a talented author. Her writing is so clean, so powerful, and her characters explode off the page with pure personality. I swear, I feel as if her books have an actual pulse. They are visceral, palpable, real and raw, and full of everything I need and want in a romance. I'm a huge fan of her as a writer, and I really felt like Midnight Blue was her best work to date. A tumultuous love story that held nothing back, that stripped addiction and heartache to it's bones, showing what it looks like in it's rawest form, but at the same time proving just how powerful and healing true love can be. It's brilliant.
Rockstar Alex Winslow is a ticking time bomb. Fresh off rehab and needing to go on a world tour, his friends and managers know that it's just a matter of time before he implodes again. So they decide to hire a nanny (or hanny, hot - nanny as Alex calls it, lmao) to watch over him.
Insert Indigo Bellamy here.
Indie is a quirky introvert who is in desperate need of money. She lives with her brother, his wife, and kid, and life has gotten messy. With a brother that's quickly becoming an addict and a nephew who needs medical work on his ears, they are barely making it. So Indie gets a job watching over Alex. And IT. IS. SO. GOOD. The two don't hit it off at first. Alex is a bitter asshole who is not pleased with being babysat and pledges to make Indie's life hell. But Indie needs this job, and she's not a push over. She meets Alex head to head in a battle of wills that is downright heart stopping.
Alex and Indie are a couple that will make you burn. They will make you hurt. The angst is legit, you guys, so gut-wrenching, but so incredibly delicious too. There is so much baggage that each of these characters carries. I'm reluctant to say too much because I want you to have the same reading experience I had. I went in knowing only that it was a rockstar read, and I came out completely breathless and emotionally hungover.
And I gotta say, I love these kinds of books! The ones that make you feel ALIVE. Like you are living the romance right before your eyes. The kind where you actually become apart of the story. Where you feel like you are in every scene, feeling every moment, saying every line. THIS IS THAT BOOK. You become apart of it and at the end it steals a piece of your heart.
Overall, I highly recommend Midnight Blue. It's an absolutely gem. Everything and then some. My FIRST 5 star read of 2018! And an unforgettable one at that.
** I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What do I say? What do I even say to that! This is seriously one of those reviews where you just want to scream, "GO READ THIS BOOK. DON'T BOTHER WITH REVIEWS. ONE CLICK. READ RIGHT NOW." It's phenomenal, and if you are a fan of angst... whew, baby...
THIS IS ALL FOR ANGST LOVERS!
I'm telling you, I inhaled Midnight Blue. I couldn't take a breath until it was done. Angsty, steamy, turbulent, gritty, beautiful, my heart was so full of feels at the end of it! L.J. Shen nailed this. If you liked Thoughtless by SC Stephens, The Mighty Storm by Samantha Towle, you’ll DEVOUR Midnight Blue! It’s a rip your heart out and put it back together kind of read. Just brimming with heart and soul. Exquisitely written. I feel ruined by it. RUINED! I had to take a minute to collect my thoughts before I could even process reviewing.
THIS BOOK IS MAGIC.
Shen is a talented author. Her writing is so clean, so powerful, and her characters explode off the page with pure personality. I swear, I feel as if her books have an actual pulse. They are visceral, palpable, real and raw, and full of everything I need and want in a romance. I'm a huge fan of her as a writer, and I really felt like Midnight Blue was her best work to date. A tumultuous love story that held nothing back, that stripped addiction and heartache to it's bones, showing what it looks like in it's rawest form, but at the same time proving just how powerful and healing true love can be. It's brilliant.
Rockstar Alex Winslow is a ticking time bomb. Fresh off rehab and needing to go on a world tour, his friends and managers know that it's just a matter of time before he implodes again. So they decide to hire a nanny (or hanny, hot - nanny as Alex calls it, lmao) to watch over him.
Insert Indigo Bellamy here.
Indie is a quirky introvert who is in desperate need of money. She lives with her brother, his wife, and kid, and life has gotten messy. With a brother that's quickly becoming an addict and a nephew who needs medical work on his ears, they are barely making it. So Indie gets a job watching over Alex. And IT. IS. SO. GOOD. The two don't hit it off at first. Alex is a bitter asshole who is not pleased with being babysat and pledges to make Indie's life hell. But Indie needs this job, and she's not a push over. She meets Alex head to head in a battle of wills that is downright heart stopping.
Alex and Indie are a couple that will make you burn. They will make you hurt. The angst is legit, you guys, so gut-wrenching, but so incredibly delicious too. There is so much baggage that each of these characters carries. I'm reluctant to say too much because I want you to have the same reading experience I had. I went in knowing only that it was a rockstar read, and I came out completely breathless and emotionally hungover.
And I gotta say, I love these kinds of books! The ones that make you feel ALIVE. Like you are living the romance right before your eyes. The kind where you actually become apart of the story. Where you feel like you are in every scene, feeling every moment, saying every line. THIS IS THAT BOOK. You become apart of it and at the end it steals a piece of your heart.
Overall, I highly recommend Midnight Blue. It's an absolutely gem. Everything and then some. My FIRST 5 star read of 2018! And an unforgettable one at that.
** I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2018
“Once upon a time, a rock god
fell for a mere mortal.”
Wow! Oh wow! I know we’ve all done this a thousand times or more since L.J. revealed the cover, but can we all please just take a moment again to ogle, ummmm I mean, admire the cover and the fine specimen that adorns it. Ok…… just give me a sec……. right, now onto my review. This book is EVERYTHING to me and more. L. J. Shen is one of my favorite authors for a reason, and just when I think her books can’t possibly get any better, she releases this masterpiece.
L.J. is such a profound talent at writing the perfect asshole, the alpha anti-hero who we readers can’t seem to get enough of. The more we read the more we want. Alex in my opinion was no exception.
“Make me bleed. Make me gasp for it, live for it, then die for it. Make me lose my mind and find my soul. Do your magic, Muse. But don’t leave me hanging like you did before. Howling for you to come rescue me in an empty room. Waiting for you to show up unannounced like an indecisive lover.”
Grammy award winning rockstar Alex Winslow hit rock bottom when he was convicted of a DUI and cocaine possession .After a stint in rehab, he has entered the rocky and difficult world of sobriety. As a result of the trouble Alex has found himself in, his team knows it is only a matter of time before he relapses and with his impending world tour they are not prepared to take that risk. So they hire a babysitter/nanny to shadow the broken rockstar whilst on his tour, to watch his every move and more importantly keep him away from drugs.
Indigo (Indie) has not had the easiest life in her short twenty one years. She has no choice but to live in a one bedroom apartment with her big brother who is rarely sober, her sister in law and their child Ziggy. Indie loves her family and would do absolutely anything for them, so when the opportunity of a life-time arises for Indie to babysit the most famous rockstar in the world during his world tour, she knows she has to take it. It would be a welcome goodbye to all their money woes.
When Indie first arrives at her new job, Alex was most certainly not her number one welcoming committee. To say he wanted her gone is a massive understatement and he was intent on making her life hell until she couldn’t possibly take it anymore and leave. What Alex wasn’t counting on was Indie could give back as well as she took. She was definitely a fighter.
Whist on tour at their first stop, Australia (Yay, Aussie) Alex knew he had some serious writing to do. His record company was expecting a hit album, and then the most beautiful thing happened; troubled, angry and broken Alex, found his muse.
“We just stared at each other. I couldn’t read him. But for the first time, I didn’t care. This was my heartbreak. My pain. My life. I didn’t need to try to make it fit his. And so what if he looked tortured by my confession.”
I absolutely adored both Alex and Indie and loved that I had the privilege of uncovering their intricate layers as I sat in my chair, glued to the pages. I wanted to know each and every emotion, from highest highs to the lowest lows, I was addicted. We as human beings are not and will never be one dimensional, there will always be different layers and sides to each of us and this aspect just added so much enjoyment and realness to this story.
I loved, loved, loved Midnight Blue; it was emotional, raw, sweet, romantic and oh so angsty. The feels for me were off the charts and I just could not get enough. If you love your rockstar romances written by an amazingly talented author then you need to read this one and now. My first 5 star read for 2018 and it is definitely 5 star worthy.
June 3, 2023
Reread June 3, 2023
*4 stars*
I loved this book when I first read it 5 years ago, and I still liked it a lot! It wasn’t quite a 5 star read this time around, but overall this is a great rock star romance!
—————————-————————————-
Original review: 5 stars (January 16, 2018)
"I don't want to fall in love with you"
"You don't seem to have much choice"
I loved this book so much!! Its 2:00am and I have to wake up in 5 hours but I couldn’t stop reading. I know I always say this but I think this is my favorite L.J. Shen book to date.
I am in love with Alex Winslow. There I said it. I fell in love with a hot, foul-mouthed jerk. Alex is a tormented hero and I am a sucker for those. He's a brilliant musician dealing with fame, addiction and many demons. He has an awful family and I understand why he is the way he is. He's in pain and needs someone that shows him the lighter, warmer side of life. That's were Indie comes in. She's such an amazing h, with her blue hair and quirky dresses. She's been through so much pain too, but still loves life and sees the good in everyone. Alex and Indie are so perfect for each other I was rooting for them from the start. Alex has a tender, caring side that only comes out with Indie, and I enjoyed seeing those moments between them. Their chemistry was off the charts too! Alex is one sexy jerk. He exuded sex appeal and melted not only my heart but my panties.
This book was not only about a rock star but about family, loss, forgiveness, and finding your way in life. It was a reminder that we all have our demons but love conquers all. Another masterpiece by L.J. Shen. I can now say with certainty that she's one of my favorite authors ever! I will read anything that she writes (which I hope are many, many books)
If you can't tell by now, I highly recommend this book to everyone! This is going straight to my favorites of 2018. What a great way to start the year!
*4 stars*
I loved this book when I first read it 5 years ago, and I still liked it a lot! It wasn’t quite a 5 star read this time around, but overall this is a great rock star romance!
—————————-————————————-
Original review: 5 stars (January 16, 2018)
"I don't want to fall in love with you"
"You don't seem to have much choice"
I loved this book so much!! Its 2:00am and I have to wake up in 5 hours but I couldn’t stop reading. I know I always say this but I think this is my favorite L.J. Shen book to date.
I am in love with Alex Winslow. There I said it. I fell in love with a hot, foul-mouthed jerk. Alex is a tormented hero and I am a sucker for those. He's a brilliant musician dealing with fame, addiction and many demons. He has an awful family and I understand why he is the way he is. He's in pain and needs someone that shows him the lighter, warmer side of life. That's were Indie comes in. She's such an amazing h, with her blue hair and quirky dresses. She's been through so much pain too, but still loves life and sees the good in everyone. Alex and Indie are so perfect for each other I was rooting for them from the start. Alex has a tender, caring side that only comes out with Indie, and I enjoyed seeing those moments between them. Their chemistry was off the charts too! Alex is one sexy jerk. He exuded sex appeal and melted not only my heart but my panties.
This book was not only about a rock star but about family, loss, forgiveness, and finding your way in life. It was a reminder that we all have our demons but love conquers all. Another masterpiece by L.J. Shen. I can now say with certainty that she's one of my favorite authors ever! I will read anything that she writes (which I hope are many, many books)
If you can't tell by now, I highly recommend this book to everyone! This is going straight to my favorites of 2018. What a great way to start the year!
January 18, 2018
*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
Once upon a time, a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairy tale by now. Mortals and gods don’t mix.
MIDNIGHT BLUE is an enemies to lovers romance between an ultimate bad boy British rocker and a feisty and eclectic American girl. The blurb of this book is what enticed me to want to read it. I have a thing for British book boyfriends and the cherry on top was that he was a Rock God as well. I wasn’t expecting this to be so far from a swoony romance. Alex and Indie’s love story was dark and tumultuous and Alex was the epitome of an over-indulgent douchebag! It was very hard to even like his character. I tried but he was just a bit too prickly for me. Indie was the more likable character out of the two.
Indigo Bellamy has been living with her older brother, sister-in-law, and baby nephew for the past couple of years. Her parents were killed by a hit and run driver. Her brother, who had a promising pro football career ahead of him, dropped out of college in order to take care of her. Things have been pretty dismal for her family lately. Indie’s brother is jobless and has turned to drinking. His bitterness over their parent's death is slowly tearing their family apart. Indie is desperate to find a job that will pay her enough money to help her brother and his family. She answers an ad in the paper for an undisclosed celebrity that is in need of a special personal assistant. Turns out the celebrity is none other than Alex Winslow, one of her favorite musicians. He’s about to start a world tour and the music production company wants him to stay clean and deliver a highly successful tour or he'll be sued for millions. Indie’s job would entail being his personal babysitter. Her sole purpose is to ensure he doesn’t drink or do drugs.
Alex has scared off several “babysitters” so far and he goes above and beyond at being cruel and rude towards Indie in order to scare her off as well. But he’s met his match because she’s determined to finish the job in order to get the $300,000 paycheck that is coming to her after her three months are up. Her family needs this money desperately and she’s not about to let a spoiled and self-absorbed idiot stop her from fulfilling her duties.
After many failed attempts at running Indie off, Alex starts to see there’s so much more to the feisty little woman with blue hair and eclectic fashion sense. She starts to become his muse and during the many nights they spend together in the hallway between their hotel rooms, the lyrics are pouring out of Alex at warp speed that he can hardly get them down on paper fast enough.
During this time Alex is also constantly throwing out sexual innuendos towards Indie. He’s relentless in his pursuit but everyone also knows, including Indie, that he’s still crazy in love with his ex and that even though she’s engaged to another man, he is planning to win her back. Alex makes no promises of love and Indie knows that if she goes down this road with him, there isn’t any way that her heart will not belong to him. When Alex is finally able to seduce Indie the sex is crazed, rough, and far from romantic. I thought that Indie deserved more because she wasn’t anything like the random women Alex used in the past. While it seemed that he was using her to pass the time with until he could get his ex back, it was hard to deny that something significant was building between them.
A crazy twist is thrown into the plot and at first, it seemed so random. I thought it was a bad move by the author to do this but as everything unfolds it becomes clear that nothing is random in this story and that it was pivotal for the story’s and character development.
Here are my overall ratings on the book:
Heroes: 3.5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4
MIDNIGHT BLUE releases on January 18th.
(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FNBCMg
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/MidnightBlue
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
Once upon a time, a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairy tale by now. Mortals and gods don’t mix.
MIDNIGHT BLUE is an enemies to lovers romance between an ultimate bad boy British rocker and a feisty and eclectic American girl. The blurb of this book is what enticed me to want to read it. I have a thing for British book boyfriends and the cherry on top was that he was a Rock God as well. I wasn’t expecting this to be so far from a swoony romance. Alex and Indie’s love story was dark and tumultuous and Alex was the epitome of an over-indulgent douchebag! It was very hard to even like his character. I tried but he was just a bit too prickly for me. Indie was the more likable character out of the two.
Indigo Bellamy has been living with her older brother, sister-in-law, and baby nephew for the past couple of years. Her parents were killed by a hit and run driver. Her brother, who had a promising pro football career ahead of him, dropped out of college in order to take care of her. Things have been pretty dismal for her family lately. Indie’s brother is jobless and has turned to drinking. His bitterness over their parent's death is slowly tearing their family apart. Indie is desperate to find a job that will pay her enough money to help her brother and his family. She answers an ad in the paper for an undisclosed celebrity that is in need of a special personal assistant. Turns out the celebrity is none other than Alex Winslow, one of her favorite musicians. He’s about to start a world tour and the music production company wants him to stay clean and deliver a highly successful tour or he'll be sued for millions. Indie’s job would entail being his personal babysitter. Her sole purpose is to ensure he doesn’t drink or do drugs.
Alex has scared off several “babysitters” so far and he goes above and beyond at being cruel and rude towards Indie in order to scare her off as well. But he’s met his match because she’s determined to finish the job in order to get the $300,000 paycheck that is coming to her after her three months are up. Her family needs this money desperately and she’s not about to let a spoiled and self-absorbed idiot stop her from fulfilling her duties.
After many failed attempts at running Indie off, Alex starts to see there’s so much more to the feisty little woman with blue hair and eclectic fashion sense. She starts to become his muse and during the many nights they spend together in the hallway between their hotel rooms, the lyrics are pouring out of Alex at warp speed that he can hardly get them down on paper fast enough.
During this time Alex is also constantly throwing out sexual innuendos towards Indie. He’s relentless in his pursuit but everyone also knows, including Indie, that he’s still crazy in love with his ex and that even though she’s engaged to another man, he is planning to win her back. Alex makes no promises of love and Indie knows that if she goes down this road with him, there isn’t any way that her heart will not belong to him. When Alex is finally able to seduce Indie the sex is crazed, rough, and far from romantic. I thought that Indie deserved more because she wasn’t anything like the random women Alex used in the past. While it seemed that he was using her to pass the time with until he could get his ex back, it was hard to deny that something significant was building between them.
A crazy twist is thrown into the plot and at first, it seemed so random. I thought it was a bad move by the author to do this but as everything unfolds it becomes clear that nothing is random in this story and that it was pivotal for the story’s and character development.
Here are my overall ratings on the book:
Heroes: 3.5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4
MIDNIGHT BLUE releases on January 18th.
(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FNBCMg
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/MidnightBlue
January 16, 2018
Holy. Freaking. Wow!!
That’s all I can think of now that I’ve reached the end of this story. Honestly, I’m just grateful that I came out of this in one piece. While reading this book, it felt like Leigh essentially ripped my heart out, juggled it, pricked it with some pins, kicked it around for shits and giggles, took it out to the range for target practice, made it into roadkill, and dunked that bad boy right back in my chest.
It was the FEELS!!
For once, I wasn’t the one talking to my heart, but it was the one talking to Alex. See us. Feel us. Love us. - Indie
Midnight Blue was an angsty, sexy, out-of control tale of the stereotypical rocker, his journey to rock bottom, and his climb back to the top. LJ Shen sure knows how to create a-hole heroes and yet she always finds a way to redeem them. I couldn’t help but fall for the angry, long-suffering, addicted Alex right along with Indie.
There was a world outside, I knew it. But there was a smaller asteroid on which we lived, and that was the only place I wanted to be in that moment. - Indie
You know what I loved about this book, aside from the music, the pseudo-romance, the laughs, Indie’s quirkiness, Alex’s general devil-may-care, the way Indie loved to talk to her heart, Tania, the drama, and the overall tug on my emotions? I loved how the author gave us something that wasn’t your regular run-of-the-mill happy story. The characters worked hard for their happy. There were no rainbows, unicorns, or cute little puppies here. She gave us characters that hurt. Not only themselves but each other. It’s true that it’s easier to hurt those that you love. And she showed us every bit of it. Whether it was from Alex and Indie’s first meeting, ”She looked… fine. Not my taste.” To the banter between all of the characters. To the dynamic of Indie’s family. To Alex constantly trying to get into Indie’s pants. To Indie constantly deterring him from getting into said pants. To Alex’s hot and cold behavior. Alex’s battle with addiction. Alex’s ridiculous and delusional thirst for vengeance. His thoughtless words and how they could potentially destroy Indie. And then to his grovelling. OMG!! I love when they actually grovel!! Whatever I was looking for in this book, I found!
There was a lot to like in this book. It was very different from what I’ve come to expect from this author, but no less amazing. Although the journey was painful, it had moments of humor and comradery to give it a good balance. And the love, y’all. So much love. All different types of love were found within the pages. And that love wasn’t easy either, but it was real, even when it was ugly.
So after all these words, I’ll leave you with this - GET THE BOOK!! Get caught up in your feelings, try to sing along to the music (even though we don’t know the melody), and fall in love with the writing. These characters will grip your heart, I’m telling you. Take another look at the cover, heed my words, and one-click this dirty bad boy today!!
Expected Release Date: January 21, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Rock Star Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Heat: 4 out of 5
Series/Standalone: Standalone
It was the FEELS!!
For once, I wasn’t the one talking to my heart, but it was the one talking to Alex. See us. Feel us. Love us. - Indie
Midnight Blue was an angsty, sexy, out-of control tale of the stereotypical rocker, his journey to rock bottom, and his climb back to the top. LJ Shen sure knows how to create a-hole heroes and yet she always finds a way to redeem them. I couldn’t help but fall for the angry, long-suffering, addicted Alex right along with Indie.
There was a world outside, I knew it. But there was a smaller asteroid on which we lived, and that was the only place I wanted to be in that moment. - Indie
You know what I loved about this book, aside from the music, the pseudo-romance, the laughs, Indie’s quirkiness, Alex’s general devil-may-care, the way Indie loved to talk to her heart, Tania, the drama, and the overall tug on my emotions? I loved how the author gave us something that wasn’t your regular run-of-the-mill happy story. The characters worked hard for their happy. There were no rainbows, unicorns, or cute little puppies here. She gave us characters that hurt. Not only themselves but each other. It’s true that it’s easier to hurt those that you love. And she showed us every bit of it. Whether it was from Alex and Indie’s first meeting, ”She looked… fine. Not my taste.” To the banter between all of the characters. To the dynamic of Indie’s family. To Alex constantly trying to get into Indie’s pants. To Indie constantly deterring him from getting into said pants. To Alex’s hot and cold behavior. Alex’s battle with addiction. Alex’s ridiculous and delusional thirst for vengeance. His thoughtless words and how they could potentially destroy Indie. And then to his grovelling. OMG!! I love when they actually grovel!! Whatever I was looking for in this book, I found!
There was a lot to like in this book. It was very different from what I’ve come to expect from this author, but no less amazing. Although the journey was painful, it had moments of humor and comradery to give it a good balance. And the love, y’all. So much love. All different types of love were found within the pages. And that love wasn’t easy either, but it was real, even when it was ugly.
So after all these words, I’ll leave you with this - GET THE BOOK!! Get caught up in your feelings, try to sing along to the music (even though we don’t know the melody), and fall in love with the writing. These characters will grip your heart, I’m telling you. Take another look at the cover, heed my words, and one-click this dirty bad boy today!!
Expected Release Date: January 21, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Rock Star Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Heat: 4 out of 5
Series/Standalone: Standalone
January 18, 2018
I swooned, I definitely swooned over this one, and yes, I’m still swooning over yet another drool worthy rockstar. This book is definitely a book that literally takes hold of you and doesn’t let you go until the very end. I will say this, my heart, oh my aching heart is trying to slow down its beats still. The ups and downs, the highs and lows, the slaps and punches, it literally had me smiling, laughing, crying, and begging all at once.
I’ve tried to sit and think how exactly to put what this book is into words with out giving anything about this story away, it’s honestly hard. To describe what Alex Winslow is, hmmmmm, impossible. Indigo Bellamy is even harder. What I can say is these two are absolutely 100% perfect for each other, in every way. Good ways and bad ways you can’t make it work any better. With saying that, the writing is simply astounding to make it that good.
And just because, I googled what rockstar means to see if it pulled up Alex Winslow, it dang near implied him
💫 someone who fucks all night beyond belief
💫 The quality of being impressively fashionable or attractive
💫 a talented person
Sooooooo, You want a Rock Star, you better definitely pick this one up.
Read
January 18, 2018LIVE and free with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US ➜ https://goo.gl/98sEFG
Amazon UK ➜ https://goo.gl/W3qJri
Amazon CA ➜ https://goo.gl/uLzVLP
Amazon AU ➜ https://goo.gl/ChF89g
Amazon US ➜ https://goo.gl/98sEFG
Amazon UK ➜ https://goo.gl/W3qJri
Amazon CA ➜ https://goo.gl/uLzVLP
Amazon AU ➜ https://goo.gl/ChF89g
January 21, 2018
"I don't want to fall in love with you."
Midnight Blue is a deeply complex read with a broken British Rock Star and a sweet American girl sent on rocking tour in order to keep him sober. But we all know what happens when you add gasoline to a fire...
"You. You said you loved to see how we burn together. So you took a match. Lit us up. And now we burn forever."Alex Winslow is on the top of his game. He is a successful rock star with good friends, a million fans, and plenty of swagger. When his manager sends a sobriety sitter to accompany him around the world, he experiences a transformation like no other. Indigo Bellamy is a strong young woman who is desperate to help her family. If she can stand being in the presence of a rock star god and keep him away from drugs and alcohol, she can make enough money to bring her family a piece of the good life. But when Alex and Indigo find an unlikely attraction, the game changes and love and life are quickly put on the line.
"His mouth closed in on mine, his lips tracing mine like braille, like he was trying to read the reaction out of me."Told in dual POV, Midnight Blue is a deeply emotional read with broken characters coming from broken homes and broken hearts. The supporting characters add plenty of drama to the already intense plot and with the additional twists and turns the outcome is unknown until the very last moment of the read. L.J. Shen is a master at crafting her characters in a way that makes you feel every emotion in the deepest part of your soul. The dialogue is rich with color and the physical connection between Alex and his muse is carnal and raw. Although I am not a huge fan of angsty reads, I could not wait to find out how their song was going to end.
Overall, Midnight Blue is a perfect read for someone who enjoys a scandalous romance with a twisted plot and plenty of angst. Alex and Indigo are both beautifully broken and together they just make sense. I adored the lyrics, the characters, and the text. L.J. Shen never disappoints with her complex characters and beautifully crafted plots.
*This is a BR with my girl SUEBEE!
*ARC graciously provided in exchange for an honest review!
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
September 29, 2020
L.J: I am giving you British-
Me:STOP! Say no More.........
Who can say no to British Bad Boy Rockstar?
I mean at least not me sis 😂
Okay all jokes aside let me try and sell this book to y'all 😁
Plot
Goodie Good "the girl next door" paired up with Celebrity heart throb
Thoughts?
My thoughts were drama➡️ Juicy Dramas 😌 Sizzling chemistry, physics and Biology
I got 'em all blended with Literature 😌 and Music 😍
The shockers I got nearly at the end of the book made it even better.
Undoubtedly it is a complete Page Turner book.
Alex
My hero was broken but he is not a loser
He is a fighter.
He owned his mess like a Champ
Also Holy fugg I laughed so dang hard
His crass mouth and his way with words it will never get old 😂😂
It was hilarious and do I even have to say the word? It was HOT 🔥
Dirty talk mixed with humor my favourite thing in the world 🤣
Love crass witty heroes alwaysssss.
Indigo-The Blue-Haired Soul-Thief
I got three S words to describe her and No you guessed it wrong it doesn’t include sexy you pervys 😂😂😂
Sassy, Strong , Smart that's the three words I'll give her.
She had this attitude like "I am not here to collect your pieces Sir, if you want me you better work for it "
I love heroines who are on their own terms, and doesn’t settle for less or give in easily.
Indigo was like that 💙
Female protagonist like her makes me feel proud as a woman 💙.
Also can I just say L.J gives the most beautiful and Unique Nicknames aka Endearments to her female leads 😭 You need to read the book to find that out what Alex calls her 😁 I am not giving it away.
The Chemistry
Offfffffffff that f**cking chemistry 🙏
It was not Insta Love.
It was step by step Build up Chemistry.
It was like Force of Nature
It felt like as if it meant to be like that
Alex's claim and his Possessiveness was a pure turn on for me.
What they have I won't name it as just another Romance story.
It was more powerful than that, it was Passion ❤ Like red black hot kind of passion 🔥❤🖤
Their chemistry is the best part of the book.
So yeah this book is Win Win for me 😌❤ Might as well re-read it soon 😁 💙💙💙
P.S- ***Spoiler-ish***
.
.
.
.
.
.
Why the tf
Poppy ? Seriously ? 😑😑😑😑 L.J?? Why did you ruin my moment 😪?
Broken Knight's hardcore fans like me would understand and remember 😑 My wounds are not fully healed yet from Moonshine's pain 😒💔
Say Sorry L.J 😏 Now!
Me:STOP! Say no More.........
Who can say no to British Bad Boy Rockstar?
I mean at least not me sis 😂
Okay all jokes aside let me try and sell this book to y'all 😁
Plot
Goodie Good "the girl next door" paired up with Celebrity heart throb
Thoughts?
My thoughts were drama➡️ Juicy Dramas 😌 Sizzling chemistry, physics and Biology
I got 'em all blended with Literature 😌 and Music 😍
The shockers I got nearly at the end of the book made it even better.
Undoubtedly it is a complete Page Turner book.
Alex
"Do you ever feel so lonely you’re not sure people are real anymore?”
My hero was broken but he is not a loser
He is a fighter.
He owned his mess like a Champ
Also Holy fugg I laughed so dang hard
His crass mouth and his way with words it will never get old 😂😂
It was hilarious and do I even have to say the word? It was HOT 🔥
Dirty talk mixed with humor my favourite thing in the world 🤣
Love crass witty heroes alwaysssss.
Indigo-The Blue-Haired Soul-Thief
"Flaws were intimate. Telling. Pure. Indigo was pretty.
Like a wasted sunset, beautiful in a taken-for-granted sort of way"
I got three S words to describe her and No you guessed it wrong it doesn’t include sexy you pervys 😂😂😂
Sassy, Strong , Smart that's the three words I'll give her.
She had this attitude like "I am not here to collect your pieces Sir, if you want me you better work for it "
I love heroines who are on their own terms, and doesn’t settle for less or give in easily.
Indigo was like that 💙
Female protagonist like her makes me feel proud as a woman 💙.
Also can I just say L.J gives the most beautiful and Unique Nicknames aka Endearments to her female leads 😭 You need to read the book to find that out what Alex calls her 😁 I am not giving it away.
The Chemistry
"Subject: I need you"
Offfffffffff that f**cking chemistry 🙏
It was not Insta Love.
It was step by step Build up Chemistry.
It was like Force of Nature
It felt like as if it meant to be like that
Alex's claim and his Possessiveness was a pure turn on for me.
What they have I won't name it as just another Romance story.
It was more powerful than that, it was Passion ❤ Like red black hot kind of passion 🔥❤🖤
Their chemistry is the best part of the book.
So yeah this book is Win Win for me 😌❤ Might as well re-read it soon 😁 💙💙💙
P.S- ***Spoiler-ish***
.
.
.
.
.
.
Why the tf
Poppy ? Seriously ? 😑😑😑😑 L.J?? Why did you ruin my moment 😪?
Broken Knight's hardcore fans like me would understand and remember 😑 My wounds are not fully healed yet from Moonshine's pain 😒💔
Say Sorry L.J 😏 Now!
January 6, 2018
There are just so many feels in this book. It's emotional, thought provoking, intense, heartbreaking, heart wrenching, soul shredding. You get the picture. I know whenever I pick up a book by LJ I'm in for an emotional ride, and Midnight Blue is no exception.
I'm looking forward to nursing this sweet book hangover.
I'm looking forward to nursing this sweet book hangover.
January 18, 2018
✭ ✭ ✭ 5 STARS ✭ ✭ ✭
Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books
Now. I heard that L.J. Shen's heroes are always an acquired taste. I love them multi-layered, complicated and broken, bordering on asshole just as much as the good guys. But Miss Shen's are supposed to be about ten steps up from those so finally getting a shot at reading one of her books had me thrilled.
Indie's need for money makes her interview and take a job as a sobriety companion of one of the most famous contemporary rockstars. Alex is a hot mess and very unhappy about his new babysitter. All the others he bullied away. So it's a safe bet that he will succeed with this new girl too.
Uh. Uh! Not so fast!
“When I look at you, I see something broken that isn’t worth fixing. And you look at me like I’m a cheap thing to replace the expensive one that’s been stolen from you. See, we’re all vases. And you’re the one scattered on the floor, shattered beyond repair. So I’ll let someone else pick you up. It’s really that simple. Have fun with your temporary glue.”
New Girl talks back, something he didn't expect and that intrigues him. Soon they find each other in a dance of push-and-pull across four continents and the promise of an unhappy end. Because how else COULD it end for an unlovable dick who gets off on his obsession, a rockstar who's addicted to addiction?
If you have a 8 billion pieces jigsaw puzzle and pick out two random pieces and they fit...that's Indie and Alex. Indie was perfect for him. She was what he needed every step of the way, even when they went through the roughest of times. She was resilient, smart-mouthed, sassy, and what broke her, utterly selfless. She loved her family and wanted nothing more than for them to be whole again. I have a huge girl crush on Indie, without her this story wouldn't have worked (and I'm aware that I'm talking about her as if she was real).
There are these people who feel too much, too deeply, too colorfully and brightly. Alex Winslow is one of those you really need to have patience with. His only way to express pain when he's sober is being an asshole that has nothing on the assholes you've read about so far. Alex isn't perfect for Indie but with her vibrant and warm personality she shapes him into the man he never thought he could be.
From afar, Alex Winslow looked like nothing could penetrate his armor. But he was an artist— and an artist’s armor is full of bullets and cracks. That’s how the lyrics and notes seep through.
If you decide to pick this up, have patience. Have patience with Alex. He isn't mellow, sweet, endearing and balanced. He is selfish, volatile, rude and often times hurtful and callous. His rockstar status may seem dazzling, scintillating but underneath that shield of cockiness and douchebaggery is a tender heart with a bucket full of insecurities. But Alex is also charming, funny, charismatic and larger than life and it's what makes people flock him.
“God, you’re beautiful.” And oh, was she ever. Like a painfully short, brilliant song that keeps you thirsty for more."
Midnight Blue isn't an easy or light-hearted story. If you expect and want that this is definitely the wrong place to look for it. It has a lot of heavy themes and deals with addiction and the death of family members. Cheerful, it is not, but it is raw, emotional, gritty, often times infuriating...God I was so mad at Alex at times. But above all it's heartbreaking. Seeing Alex fall apart, hurting, struggling, flailing his arms as to not to drown, watching Indie getting hurt by him time and time again. I keep rubbing my chest. There is a spot that hurts where my heart is. The end made up for all the heartbreak - thankfully we get a super sweet Epilogue that soothes our raw emotions.
Her eyes— her fucking eyes— a dark spell enveloped in a sweet girl who brought so much light into my miserable life.
Dear L.J. Shen, I'm in awe of your talent. The writing is edgy, with an acute eye for detail. I loved the sass and humor, how it made me feel the whole range of my emotional scale and I'm definitely going to read your back list. Because I am an addict, too.
Read
December 21, 2020Wow - Midnight blue was RAW, EMOTIONAL and GRIPPING - a true ROCK STAR romance of EPIC proportions.
It's no secret I love LJ Shen's heroes. They have a certain bite, edge, grit whatever you want to call them. They have something additional that's unique to the author. A way that makes them stand out and hard to forget.
Her heroes dig their way into my heart with their brash, rude and often times insulting demeanor. I fall in love with their smart mouth, and a dare-it-all, could-care-less, fuck-it-all attitude that is as endearing as it is entertaining.
When I read Midnight Blue I was reminded again why I love her books so much. LJ Shen has real talent. It's unreal, how much talent she has. She writes stories that enchant, but also squeeze your heart until you can't breath anymore because of all the emotions and feels that come across her pages.
Next to the enemies to lovers trope, the rock star trope is my most favorite. Lucky me Midnight Blue was both. And I also knew that a rock star romance penned by LJ SHEN could be nothing less than stellar.
This book ROCKED - literally ROCKED, with the attitude and charm of a ROCKSTAR.
Midnight Blue had everything I love and enjoy in a rockstar romance novel. The ups and downs of an industry that feeds of gossip and drama. An egoistical, entitled and highly sexual rockstar. The emotional turmoil, drugs, and rock n roll that comes with said artist (aka God's gift to women). A group of temperamental and overdramatic musicians. And one woman that is pushed into this explosive and emotionally charged situation without a lifejacket.
Let the show begin!!!!
The author did a remarkable job giving this novel an authentic rockstar feel. I was pulled in from the very first chapter, and couldn't put it back down. It didn't take long until I was spellbound, transfixed and fascinated by Alex Winslow and his charismatic but also unhealthy and destructive personality. I was witness to a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions that was incredibly addicting.
Indigo and Alex wer a match made in heaven or hell - it all depended on the day and time. Their midnight rendezvous were some of my most cherished scenes of all. Whenever they were alone, Alex allowed his real self to shine through the cracks. By getting to know Indigo, Alex finally found a reason to work his way back to his former glory. His journey was the most profound and emotional of all. A true epic turnaround and a journey of self-discovery.
Indigo was the polar opposite of Alex.
Dependable, down to earth, goal oriented, with massive responsibilities on her narrow shoulders. To her chagrin she was effected by Alex's rockstar charm and sex appeal. When she finally gave in and enjoyed his advances, she owned it and went after it with eyes wide open. It didn't hurt that her straight forward and genuinely good disposition had a novel effect on Alex.
As it's LJ Shen's signature style, she made the couple work for their HEA and consequently gave me a thrilling ride. At this point she could write the most boring trope and make it sound interesting. I have come to love and rely on her edgy heroes and steadfast heroines. And I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
It's no secret I love LJ Shen's heroes. They have a certain bite, edge, grit whatever you want to call them. They have something additional that's unique to the author. A way that makes them stand out and hard to forget.
Her heroes dig their way into my heart with their brash, rude and often times insulting demeanor. I fall in love with their smart mouth, and a dare-it-all, could-care-less, fuck-it-all attitude that is as endearing as it is entertaining.
When I read Midnight Blue I was reminded again why I love her books so much. LJ Shen has real talent. It's unreal, how much talent she has. She writes stories that enchant, but also squeeze your heart until you can't breath anymore because of all the emotions and feels that come across her pages.
Next to the enemies to lovers trope, the rock star trope is my most favorite. Lucky me Midnight Blue was both. And I also knew that a rock star romance penned by LJ SHEN could be nothing less than stellar.
This book ROCKED - literally ROCKED, with the attitude and charm of a ROCKSTAR.
Midnight Blue had everything I love and enjoy in a rockstar romance novel. The ups and downs of an industry that feeds of gossip and drama. An egoistical, entitled and highly sexual rockstar. The emotional turmoil, drugs, and rock n roll that comes with said artist (aka God's gift to women). A group of temperamental and overdramatic musicians. And one woman that is pushed into this explosive and emotionally charged situation without a lifejacket.
Let the show begin!!!!
The author did a remarkable job giving this novel an authentic rockstar feel. I was pulled in from the very first chapter, and couldn't put it back down. It didn't take long until I was spellbound, transfixed and fascinated by Alex Winslow and his charismatic but also unhealthy and destructive personality. I was witness to a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions that was incredibly addicting.
Indigo and Alex wer a match made in heaven or hell - it all depended on the day and time. Their midnight rendezvous were some of my most cherished scenes of all. Whenever they were alone, Alex allowed his real self to shine through the cracks. By getting to know Indigo, Alex finally found a reason to work his way back to his former glory. His journey was the most profound and emotional of all. A true epic turnaround and a journey of self-discovery.
Indigo was the polar opposite of Alex.
Dependable, down to earth, goal oriented, with massive responsibilities on her narrow shoulders. To her chagrin she was effected by Alex's rockstar charm and sex appeal. When she finally gave in and enjoyed his advances, she owned it and went after it with eyes wide open. It didn't hurt that her straight forward and genuinely good disposition had a novel effect on Alex.
As it's LJ Shen's signature style, she made the couple work for their HEA and consequently gave me a thrilling ride. At this point she could write the most boring trope and make it sound interesting. I have come to love and rely on her edgy heroes and steadfast heroines. And I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
March 11, 2018
Dear lord… Where do I start with this book?
I think I should begin by saying it has been a very long while – years, even – since I have read such ingenious writing.
There is something about this author. Her dry, quick wit and cleverness with words really pulled me in and almost immediately after starting this book, I was invested in the characters.
All of them.
Every single one.
Devastatingly invested.
I found myself re-reading certain sentences purely to experience them all over again.
Guys…
Seriously…
That just doesn’t happen anymore.
And it excited me!
The storyline was compelling, the character growth was beautifully paced and the angst was perfectly placed.
There was no ‘sake of drama for drama’.
Every detail in this book was meticulously planned out and it made for smart reading.
I was left thoroughly impressed.
This was my first book by LJ Shen and after finishing, I picked up my phone, went straight to Amazon and purchased all of her books. That is how much I enjoyed what I read.
I can’t wait to read more from this cunning and crafty author.
Midnight Blue is my first 5 star read of this year.
View the original review here, at The Novel Lifestyle:
http://www.thenovellifestyle.com/belles-book-review-midnight-blue-by-lj-shen/
I think I should begin by saying it has been a very long while – years, even – since I have read such ingenious writing.
There is something about this author. Her dry, quick wit and cleverness with words really pulled me in and almost immediately after starting this book, I was invested in the characters.
All of them.
Every single one.
Devastatingly invested.
I found myself re-reading certain sentences purely to experience them all over again.
Guys…
Seriously…
That just doesn’t happen anymore.
And it excited me!
The storyline was compelling, the character growth was beautifully paced and the angst was perfectly placed.
There was no ‘sake of drama for drama’.
Every detail in this book was meticulously planned out and it made for smart reading.
I was left thoroughly impressed.
This was my first book by LJ Shen and after finishing, I picked up my phone, went straight to Amazon and purchased all of her books. That is how much I enjoyed what I read.
I can’t wait to read more from this cunning and crafty author.
Midnight Blue is my first 5 star read of this year.
View the original review here, at The Novel Lifestyle:
http://www.thenovellifestyle.com/belles-book-review-midnight-blue-by-lj-shen/
July 2, 2018
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
L.J Shen can never disappoint me, even when she's writing a character that I should hate. Alex was such a jerk and had no care about anyone else's life but his own. But L.J came in and wrote this story with such strong character development that it made me love Alex.
We're not just thrown into the middle of Alex's story, we're taken on his journey from the first time he decided for himself that he needed to change his ways. I think what made his asshole behavior even better was that he never apologized for who he was, he owned up to his shitty ways and was just like, "fuck yeah I'm an asshole and that's why you love me." Even when he was getting closer with Indie and lost some of that jerk, he was still edgy and the epitome of a Romance Bad Boy.
Indie was only an okay character for me. She came off as a little stiff in the beginning so it took awhile for me to warm up to her. I started liking her a lot more once she wasn't so reserved and we got to see who was behind that blue hair. I actually thought she and Alex made a weird but perfect couple.
The ending of the story has me a little conflicted. I loved the drama and surprise of everything that happened. As much as it shoved Alex and Indie apart, it let the readers see how strong the fight to be together in each of them was. But this was also the point where Alex's character took a big dip in my eyes and I lost a little of the respect I had for him. He worked his way back into both mine and Indie's good graces, but there was definitely a part of the book where I didn't like him at all.
Overall, the story was really good and kept me intrigued the entire time. Both characters had their ups and down on my likable scale, but in the end I loved them as a couple and loved getting to know them.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
L.J Shen can never disappoint me, even when she's writing a character that I should hate. Alex was such a jerk and had no care about anyone else's life but his own. But L.J came in and wrote this story with such strong character development that it made me love Alex.
We're not just thrown into the middle of Alex's story, we're taken on his journey from the first time he decided for himself that he needed to change his ways. I think what made his asshole behavior even better was that he never apologized for who he was, he owned up to his shitty ways and was just like, "fuck yeah I'm an asshole and that's why you love me." Even when he was getting closer with Indie and lost some of that jerk, he was still edgy and the epitome of a Romance Bad Boy.
Indie was only an okay character for me. She came off as a little stiff in the beginning so it took awhile for me to warm up to her. I started liking her a lot more once she wasn't so reserved and we got to see who was behind that blue hair. I actually thought she and Alex made a weird but perfect couple.
The ending of the story has me a little conflicted. I loved the drama and surprise of everything that happened. As much as it shoved Alex and Indie apart, it let the readers see how strong the fight to be together in each of them was. But this was also the point where Alex's character took a big dip in my eyes and I lost a little of the respect I had for him. He worked his way back into both mine and Indie's good graces, but there was definitely a part of the book where I didn't like him at all.
Overall, the story was really good and kept me intrigued the entire time. Both characters had their ups and down on my likable scale, but in the end I loved them as a couple and loved getting to know them.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2018
It is well known, that this author knows how to write some delicious asshole alpha males. Her series "Sinners of Saint" series is a perfect example. I loved that series !! I am a big fan of redeemable assholes, so when I heard she was gonna write about a rockstar...I was all over it !!
This one is about Alex Winslow and Indigo (Indie) Bellamy.
Alex' career has been going down hill lately, because of his public behavior. He is just as out of control as his drughabbit is.... So his agent and publisher send him of to rehab, and hire a "nanny" for him when he gets back.
Indie really needs a job. Her family needs her to take care if them. Her brother is a drunk who has given up on life and her sister in law is already doing all she can. So it's up to her to make sure her nephew gets everything he needs. Being a nanny to a spoiled rockstar throwing temper tantrums, is not really a dream job, but it pays very well, and thats the magice word for Indie.... money...
How hard can it be anyways. She just needs to make sure he stays away from drugs, and doesn't go off the rail in any possible way.
But Alex....he doesn't want Indie to stay, so he does his very best to make her quit. When she doesn't run away crying....he promises to break her. And he does.....bit by little bit.
Because when Alex was hurting, he wanted the entire world to hurt with him.
But she can't stay away from him.....The attraction and chemistry is too strong. She is drawn to him like a moth to a flame and even though she knows she's gonna get burned....she can't resist him.
We needed each other. Now. On this tour. Like air, and oxygen, and the pulse beneath our flesh.
I totally understood where Indie was coming from. I don't think I would have been able to resist that broody asshole either.... Especially when he used his dirty talking mouth !!
"I'm going to be so balls deep inside you, I'll be able to tickle your lungs."
These two become closer every day, physically and mentally. Indie even becomes the muse for his next album. But things can't stay the way they are..... Mistakes have to be made...secrets have to come out and groveling needs to be done :P
I absolutely loved this book. Alex has definitely earned a spot in my top 5 of favorite alpha a-holes !!!
This was an awesome "opposites attract" story. It was filled with so much...It was angsty, sweet, emotional, steamy, frustrating and beautiful.
Highly recommended !! I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us next ;)
My reviews are posted on DirtyBooksObsession
January 19, 2018
First, let's start with that cover....
Yummy... with a capital "Y".
And, the story?
I'm convinced Ms. Shen has her writing quill set to "nothing short of magic."
Seriously... the woman can write a badass alpha-hole like no other.
I loved this book told from dual POVs. I saw it went live early... one clicked that mutha and was done with my life for the day. I simply could not put it down.
Kids? What kids? Laundry? What laundry? Husband? What husband? Food? Get it yourself, folks, this bitch is busy touring the globe with Alex Winslow. ALEX. WINSLOW.
I was addicted to Alex and Indie's story. The push/pull... the love... the steamy times... the way L.J. Shen can rip your heart out, tear it to shreds with her writing and then glue that shit back together again.
Gah!
So.
Good.
Yummy... with a capital "Y".
And, the story?
I'm convinced Ms. Shen has her writing quill set to "nothing short of magic."
Seriously... the woman can write a badass alpha-hole like no other.
I loved this book told from dual POVs. I saw it went live early... one clicked that mutha and was done with my life for the day. I simply could not put it down.
Kids? What kids? Laundry? What laundry? Husband? What husband? Food? Get it yourself, folks, this bitch is busy touring the globe with Alex Winslow. ALEX. WINSLOW.
I was addicted to Alex and Indie's story. The push/pull... the love... the steamy times... the way L.J. Shen can rip your heart out, tear it to shreds with her writing and then glue that shit back together again.
Gah!
So.
Good.
January 19, 2018
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest opinion
4,5 “blood pressure through the roof” stars
To get the plot out of the way (because it will be long overflow of rant and frustration and…): Alex is a Rockstar out of rehab that succeeded in sinking his former album and behaved VERY badly. He needs to make his next tour a success (read “not get cocked up, not trash motel rooms, no nude picks of his male parts yada, yada”) and produce a decent new album. Oh and I forgot: not chase his former girlfriend who shacked his best friend and left him in the dust.
What would his team do? Find him a babysitter shadowing his every move, even when he gets to the bathroom and ensure his nose stays clean and his liver pristine.
The babysitter is Indigo, small, very small, blue eyes, blue hair and vintage/thrift clothes. Broke too. Could she be more cliché? But stay tuned as she has many saving graces 😉.
Of course she knows he is bad news and can’t get attached to Alex. It would be foolish and she is a very grounded girl. The kind of girl that prefers her room’s solitude and sewing machine to crazy parties.
Alex won’t be happy he’s got a babysitter and in pure Alex’s fashion will intend to make her life a living hell. Only… the pixie has sass and spunk.
Now that I gave you pointers about the plot let me rant, get some steam out of my system and then rave (yes there will be raving).
Alex is a class A Jerk! A complete egocentric and insufferable prick. And that’s me being polite here.
I wanted to bash his skull so many times in the beginning it was not even funny.
I found him entitled, spoiled, obnoxious, egotist and many things.
Was he handsome? Well that’s what everyone thought so I guess he was hot but all his hotness was lost on me with his appalling behavior.
We really do have a story with the woman being the best part of him.
I don’t know what happened. Either I grew accustomed to his arrogance either he softened some thanks to Indie’s good influence either…. But he slowly grew on me and I was able to see behind the façade.
Alex had a very bad childhood and a horrid family. He despised “the Suits” aka the people managing him, his record company, the taxi driver, … everyone but his fans.
I really wanted to tell him to let them all lose if he could not bear the life he’s got. Brat!
Indie was the epitome of selflessness. She was saved from being insipid or a doormat thanks to her sass and banter. She gave as good as she got. When Alex was taunting Indie she answered right back and I loved it!
Their banter was like sexual foreplay and steam was not sparse in this story.
But where Leigh Shen excelled once more was making me slowly love the insufferable MC. Because everything is not as it seems with Alex.
Add to it some twists coming around 70-75% in the book just to throw the story on a loop, introduce more stress before maybe coming to full circle and you have a very happy reader.
I was prepared to love it and honestly I dreaded it. I love Leigh and was embarrassed to write a negative review but I should have trusted her better.
So do I recommend this book? Yes if you don’t mind having your blood pressure skyrocketing thanks to Alex’s @ssholeishness. Truly I was flummoxed! Just don’t expect a smooth sail as you won’t get it. What you’ll get are loads and loads of feelings good and bad Leigh does not discriminate.
Favorite quote:
“When I look at you I see something broken that isn’t worth fixing. And you look at me like I'm a cheap thing to replace the expensive one that's been stolen from you. See, we're all vases. And you're the one scattered on the floor, shattered beyond repair. So I'll let someone else pick you up. It's really that simple. Have fun with your temporary glue."
I wanted to pump my fist and shout “Hata girl”!
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4,5 “blood pressure through the roof” stars
To get the plot out of the way (because it will be long overflow of rant and frustration and…): Alex is a Rockstar out of rehab that succeeded in sinking his former album and behaved VERY badly. He needs to make his next tour a success (read “not get cocked up, not trash motel rooms, no nude picks of his male parts yada, yada”) and produce a decent new album. Oh and I forgot: not chase his former girlfriend who shacked his best friend and left him in the dust.
What would his team do? Find him a babysitter shadowing his every move, even when he gets to the bathroom and ensure his nose stays clean and his liver pristine.
The babysitter is Indigo, small, very small, blue eyes, blue hair and vintage/thrift clothes. Broke too. Could she be more cliché? But stay tuned as she has many saving graces 😉.
Of course she knows he is bad news and can’t get attached to Alex. It would be foolish and she is a very grounded girl. The kind of girl that prefers her room’s solitude and sewing machine to crazy parties.
Alex won’t be happy he’s got a babysitter and in pure Alex’s fashion will intend to make her life a living hell. Only… the pixie has sass and spunk.
Now that I gave you pointers about the plot let me rant, get some steam out of my system and then rave (yes there will be raving).
Alex is a class A Jerk! A complete egocentric and insufferable prick. And that’s me being polite here.
I wanted to bash his skull so many times in the beginning it was not even funny.
I found him entitled, spoiled, obnoxious, egotist and many things.
Was he handsome? Well that’s what everyone thought so I guess he was hot but all his hotness was lost on me with his appalling behavior.
We really do have a story with the woman being the best part of him.
I don’t know what happened. Either I grew accustomed to his arrogance either he softened some thanks to Indie’s good influence either…. But he slowly grew on me and I was able to see behind the façade.
Alex had a very bad childhood and a horrid family. He despised “the Suits” aka the people managing him, his record company, the taxi driver, … everyone but his fans.
I really wanted to tell him to let them all lose if he could not bear the life he’s got. Brat!
Indie was the epitome of selflessness. She was saved from being insipid or a doormat thanks to her sass and banter. She gave as good as she got. When Alex was taunting Indie she answered right back and I loved it!
Their banter was like sexual foreplay and steam was not sparse in this story.
But where Leigh Shen excelled once more was making me slowly love the insufferable MC. Because everything is not as it seems with Alex.
Add to it some twists coming around 70-75% in the book just to throw the story on a loop, introduce more stress before maybe coming to full circle and you have a very happy reader.
I was prepared to love it and honestly I dreaded it. I love Leigh and was embarrassed to write a negative review but I should have trusted her better.
So do I recommend this book? Yes if you don’t mind having your blood pressure skyrocketing thanks to Alex’s @ssholeishness. Truly I was flummoxed! Just don’t expect a smooth sail as you won’t get it. What you’ll get are loads and loads of feelings good and bad Leigh does not discriminate.
Favorite quote:
“When I look at you I see something broken that isn’t worth fixing. And you look at me like I'm a cheap thing to replace the expensive one that's been stolen from you. See, we're all vases. And you're the one scattered on the floor, shattered beyond repair. So I'll let someone else pick you up. It's really that simple. Have fun with your temporary glue."
I wanted to pump my fist and shout “Hata girl”!
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August 14, 2020
First read: 2nd July 2020
Re-read: 13th August 2020
"I don't want to fall in love with you"
I loved this book so much!!! This is my favourite L.J. Shen book to date.
I fell in love with Alex in this book. The hot, dirty mouthed, broken jerk. He's been through a lot in life and takes drugs as his way out. Enter Indigo, his blue haired babysitter / nanny, he didn't know he needed in life.
“Once upon a time, a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairy tale by now. Mortals and gods don’t mix.”
Their story progresses beautifully and I loved every part of this book, from their midnight song writing, to Indigo's Paris dresses and their beautiful friendship that turned into so much more.
“I don’t want your yesterday. And would never expect your tomorrow. But if we can have today, I will show you what love tastes like. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll forget about all our sorrows.”
Alex was a jerk to Indigo in the start but we later got to know his tender, loving and caring side as the story progressed. This book had me laughing, crying, swooning and rooting for the amazing couple! And the end!!!! The way Alex waited and cleaned up his mess before he staked his claim on his girl once again.
“I put her under my spell, to make sure she was mine. Scribbling onto her the notes only I could play. Now that Tania was gone, Stardust was my main instrument. And it saddened me, because I knew I had to break her, too.”
Sighhh. This book really showed me that we all have our demons but love conquers all. If you can't tell already, I loved this book SO MUCH and would recommend it, in fact, leave whatever book you are reading right now and pick this one up immediately. This book is definitely going to my favourites and hopefully L.J. Shen gives us more books like these in the future.
x
Re-read: 13th August 2020
"I don't want to fall in love with you"
I loved this book so much!!! This is my favourite L.J. Shen book to date.
I fell in love with Alex in this book. The hot, dirty mouthed, broken jerk. He's been through a lot in life and takes drugs as his way out. Enter Indigo, his blue haired babysitter / nanny, he didn't know he needed in life.
“Once upon a time, a mere mortal fell in love with a rock god. You probably know this is not a fairy tale by now. Mortals and gods don’t mix.”
Their story progresses beautifully and I loved every part of this book, from their midnight song writing, to Indigo's Paris dresses and their beautiful friendship that turned into so much more.
“I don’t want your yesterday. And would never expect your tomorrow. But if we can have today, I will show you what love tastes like. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll forget about all our sorrows.”
Alex was a jerk to Indigo in the start but we later got to know his tender, loving and caring side as the story progressed. This book had me laughing, crying, swooning and rooting for the amazing couple! And the end!!!! The way Alex waited and cleaned up his mess before he staked his claim on his girl once again.
“I put her under my spell, to make sure she was mine. Scribbling onto her the notes only I could play. Now that Tania was gone, Stardust was my main instrument. And it saddened me, because I knew I had to break her, too.”
Sighhh. This book really showed me that we all have our demons but love conquers all. If you can't tell already, I loved this book SO MUCH and would recommend it, in fact, leave whatever book you are reading right now and pick this one up immediately. This book is definitely going to my favourites and hopefully L.J. Shen gives us more books like these in the future.
x
January 18, 2018
I'm finding lately that I am more drawn to stories that build up slowly - complex characters that have hidden depths and unravel organically as the story progresses, emotions that creep up on you, plotlines that are unpredictable and raw and sometimes uncomfortable. All these elements, along with poetically written prose and a deep sense of emotion is what makes a book one that I will remember out of all the thousands of books that I have read - Midnight Blue is one that I won't forget.
Alex, a broken and angry super famous rock star from Watford in England is the hero in this story, and I promise you won't fall in love with him straight away, but he will seep into your veins and make you love him, just like he did to our heroine.
Indigo is a giver, she is equally as broken but she deals with her heartbreak by helping others and this is how she ends up with the job of 'sobriety buddy' to the Rock God in question, she needs the money to help her family and she is willing to put up with her mean and moody boss.
This story felt real, there was a lot of emotion and pain, but also a lot of humour - I loved Alex's banter, it was very 'British' and I completely connected with him as a character. Indie was the kind of girl who you can't help but love, and also empathise with her unwanted pull towards the bad guy.
If I was being picky, the ending was kinda rushed, but I don't care, I absolutely loved all of the feelings that this book evoked, and I would 100% read this again.
Alex, a broken and angry super famous rock star from Watford in England is the hero in this story, and I promise you won't fall in love with him straight away, but he will seep into your veins and make you love him, just like he did to our heroine.
Indigo is a giver, she is equally as broken but she deals with her heartbreak by helping others and this is how she ends up with the job of 'sobriety buddy' to the Rock God in question, she needs the money to help her family and she is willing to put up with her mean and moody boss.
This story felt real, there was a lot of emotion and pain, but also a lot of humour - I loved Alex's banter, it was very 'British' and I completely connected with him as a character. Indie was the kind of girl who you can't help but love, and also empathise with her unwanted pull towards the bad guy.
If I was being picky, the ending was kinda rushed, but I don't care, I absolutely loved all of the feelings that this book evoked, and I would 100% read this again.
January 20, 2018
4,5 -5 stars
This is by far my favorite book from L.J. Shen!Midnight Blue is the intense,frustrating,heart wrenching,hot and ultimately beautiful story of Alex and Indie!Omg wow this book was everything,I felt every emotion!My heart aching with these two.They drive me crazy in a good way.
Alex and Indie were so perfect for each other, they have amazing chemistry and there was always tension when these two were at the same room!I fall in love with them slowly and I couldn't get enough of them!I can't even express how much I loved Alex and believe me at the beginning I hate him for his behavior but I fall in love with him slowly and fall hard!
After this book I don't know what else to expect from L.J. Shen!I love her writing it was flawless and I felt like I was a part of her story!This is a must read!You don't want to miss this one!
This is by far my favorite book from L.J. Shen!Midnight Blue is the intense,frustrating,heart wrenching,hot and ultimately beautiful story of Alex and Indie!Omg wow this book was everything,I felt every emotion!My heart aching with these two.They drive me crazy in a good way.
Alex and Indie were so perfect for each other, they have amazing chemistry and there was always tension when these two were at the same room!I fall in love with them slowly and I couldn't get enough of them!I can't even express how much I loved Alex and believe me at the beginning I hate him for his behavior but I fall in love with him slowly and fall hard!
After this book I don't know what else to expect from L.J. Shen!I love her writing it was flawless and I felt like I was a part of her story!This is a must read!You don't want to miss this one!
January 19, 2018
And another one has fallen...
It's no secret I love L.J. Shen 's stories, her writing, her assholery alphas and equally formidable heroines...
So, this book was " the shit", I shit you not!
I havent been this excited about a 'rocker' character ever since my last and only fave "Jimmy Ferris" from Ms. Kylie Scott's Lead (Stage dive #3)
The bottom line is,
Cause like all great love stories, there are layers and layers of complex facettes of this overwhelming emotion, characters that are deeply complexed, vivid in good and bad, and of course, this love I'm talking about is not obvious to them, even though it tends to hide in plain sight.
I truly loved this one!
It's no secret I love L.J. Shen 's stories, her writing, her assholery alphas and equally formidable heroines...
So, this book was " the shit", I shit you not!
I havent been this excited about a 'rocker' character ever since my last and only fave "Jimmy Ferris" from Ms. Kylie Scott's Lead (Stage dive #3)
The bottom line is,
Anything essential is invisible to the eye.
Cause like all great love stories, there are layers and layers of complex facettes of this overwhelming emotion, characters that are deeply complexed, vivid in good and bad, and of course, this love I'm talking about is not obvious to them, even though it tends to hide in plain sight.
I truly loved this one!
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