Truly, Madly, Deeply

Forbidden Love, Book 1

By: L.J. Shen

Narrated by: Lila Winters, Teddy Hamilton

This old flame just might set them on fire.

Conceited, unattainable, and downright delicious, renowned Michelin-starred chef Ambrose Casablancas has one passion in life: food.

Women are a distraction, and he doesn’t do those. Especially Cal Litvin, his baby sister’s best friend. Her entire existence is a complication; she’s awkward, eccentric, infuriating…

And, much to his chagrin, hotter than his kitchen.

Ambrose has a lot on his plate: a new restaurant to open, a multi-million-dollar property deal to execute, and a violent stalker to tame.

Then Cal shows up at his doorstep, looking for both a job and salvation after their messy goodbye. His resolve, like his patience, is ebbing each day she works at his restaurant.

Because Cal is no longer a doe-eyed girl.

Now? She’s the woman he’ll do anything to conquer.

Quirky, compassionate ball of sunshine Calla Litvin can’t catch a break, and not just because she swore off running.

Back in her hometown to nurse her mother’s broken heart after losing her father, she finds herself jobless, hopeless, and penniless. She hopes to rekindle her friendship with her former BFF, but Dylan is attached at the hip to her cruel brother—the one Cal’s been secretly crushing on since middle school.

Falling for the bad boy the second time around would be a mistake of gargantuan proportions.

Too bad she’s always been clumsy.

Truly, Madly, Deeply is a grumpy x sunshine, enemies-to-lovers romance. It is the first in the Forbidden Love series but can be listened to as a standalone.

©2024 L.J. Shen (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Loved the banter and spice

Loved the banter between the 2 characters the plot the mystery the spice all of it

Truly, Madly, Deeply

This was over all 4.5 ⭐️ for me, I love L.J. Shen. Worth the credit if you enjoy Enemies to Lovers, Boss tropes, Best Friends Brother and angsty slow burns with tons of banter!

Obsessed 🤩

Shen is always a must read/listen for me, but this has got to be one of my favorites. I love the development of the FMC and the love and devotion of MMC. There was quirky banter, steamy scenes and heartfelt moments. I completely devoured this book and wish that I could read it again for the first time. It was just PERFECT!!

Teddy Hamilton was perfect as always, Lila Winters wasn’t my favorite Cal voice - but she did ok and I got used to it. I just didn’t feel like the voice matches the character’s personality.

Everyone girl should have a Ro

But not every girl deserves one, Dot was extremely lucky that this man would not give up, borderline masochist with all the trashing his heart endured. I think the author went overboard on the amount of doubt Dot had and the amount of pain she inflicted on that poor man. The narration was wonderful though and the story was close to perfect if it wasn’t for the constant pain that man went through without taking care of himself and valuing himself more. Worth listening to, but when even I love a happy ending and a woman overcoming so much, I couldn’t help saying out loud ‘you do not deserve this man’ multiple times.

Angst ridden, poignant love story with a bit of mystery

An anxiety ridden young woman comes home for her beloved father,S funeral to find the best friend she betrayed is pregnant and willing to forgive, her financial and psychological future interwoven with her BFF big brother who had always been the subject of her fantasies, and having to confront fears and severe insecurities heightened by being once again the target of the town mean girl mayor. Great tale and interesting, quirky, over blown characters. Only complaint is with the often flat tone of female narrator Lila Winters, whose performance was too lifeless and often boring.