When you read a book and you literally can't stop thinking about it and it sticks with you for days after finishing it, you know you just read a masterpiece. That's what The Kiss Thief was, a complete masterpiece by LJ Shen.
I was FLOORED by this book! Words to express how much I loved it are so hard to find. The plot was riveting, the characters were complex, the book was so full of such an array of themes and emotions it has literally has it all! Lies, mysteries, passion, rivalry, depth, growth, banter, steam, forgiveness, truth and love. How LJ was able to convey a story that encompassed all of that and more just proves how talented she really is.
So, let's delve into the book - or at least I'll try to convey with words some of the things I loved throughout reading it!
We meet Francesca, (or Nemesis as she's more aptly referred to later in the story by Wolfe.) Francesca is ill prepared to live, truly live her life. She has followed the path her parents set forth for her, and she's done so for her entire life. She's resigned to live this life that they've allowed her to and when we meet her, there's no indication that she even yearns for anything more than that. She's promised to Angelo, whom she's known since childhood and loves. She shares insight to her feelings for him and that she wants to be with him, the one thing she seems to truly agree with her parents on. But she's impatient for her future and her one act of rebellion occurs when she opens a box, a box revealing something that will set in motion a future not anywhere near the path in which has been laid out by her parents. A path that she has even less control over.
Wolfe Keaton is a kiss thief... but he's so much more than that. He's honest and unforgiving in his pursuits. He's undeniably the big bad wolf. But, even a wolf has a hart and I loved getting to know all facets of his personality and getting to know who he was in his heart of hearts was an amazing journey to read.
"I'd learned people come and go out of your life frequently and without notice. Solitude was more than a life choice. It was a virtue. A vow of sorts"
This right here to me stood out as a cry for help in a way. Wolfe was used to feeling abandoned by people, so he literally distanced himself from people and thought of his solitude as a coat of armor of sorts. But, in donning his armor he closes himself off to so many amazing things in life. Could their be someone strong enough to break through his 'fortress of solitude?'
With one stolen kiss, everything changes. Francesca is not prepared when Wolfe comes to her home and even less prepared when she learns that her parents agreed to allow him to marry her. With no other choice, she goes along. But she's not as weak as she always let on and Wolfe is about to meet his match. His Nemesis.
"I am air. Invisible and insignificant, but vital ask the same"
This line is so significant to me throughout the book because, it does seem as if Francesca feels invisible at times but she truly is air because she is vital to so many people's lives and their literal survival. Her growth throughout the book was astonishing and admirable.
"Arrogance is a disease, compassion is the cure. Most Gods didn't like Nemesis, but that's because she had a backbone"
(Francesca = Nemesis!)
As the story unfolds there is a lot revealed, the story always continually moving. There of course was a reason she was "chosen", Wolfe has a vendetta against her father and he'll stop at nothing to see him destroyed. He just didn't count on feeling anything for his little Nemesis.
"What are you going to do with my father?"
"I'm going to ruin him"
"And with me, what are you going to do with me?"
"Save you"
But what he doesn't know, is that she is the one who will ultimately save him, she will be the one to break down his fortress of solitude and give his life purpose again.
"You took a hammer and broke down his walls, brick by brick. I watched as they collapsed, how he scrambled to try and rebuild them every time he left your room. Your love story was no fairy tale. More like a witch tale. Wicked and real and painful"
Wolfe may have stolen a kiss and her 'freedom' but he also in a way gave her the keys to open up her own freedom. To discover who she really was and that in turn allowed him to open up to his own freedom. The path may have been broken and bumpy but it lead to something truly beautiful.
"We were no longer two strangers sharing a roof. We were entwined and entangled, connected with invisible strings, each of us trying to pull away, only to create more knots that made us closer"
That quote RIGHT THERE! SWOON! As I read I could practically see the knots forming, becoming so unbreakable and strong, not even Houdini could undo those knots the strings created! I honestly can't put into words how much I loved this book. I highly recommend reading it. Wolfe Keaton won't just steal a kiss, he'll steal your heart!
"Wolf Keaton was a kiss thief, but it wasn't only a kiss that he stole. He stole my heart too. Ripped it from my chest and put it in his pocket" ----- I feel you Nem, I totally feel the SAME WAY! Thank you Leigh, you wrote a truly remarkable book and I give you tons of kudos for a job well done!
The Kiss Thief: An Arranged Marriage Romance
4.3 | 24,872 ratings
Price: 5.99
Last update: 08-19-2024
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Top reviews from the United States
Missy Starr
'Wretchedly gorgeous. Wickedly innocent. Irrevocably mine'
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2019
Booklover
Great, but not Shen’s best IMO
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2022Janel
One of the Best Authors LJ Shen!
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024Love to read.
Mix of greatness and non-so greatness
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2024