***Book Review- Ruthless Rival (Cruel Castaways, #1) by L.J. Shen

   

General Fiction (Adult), Romance 

Description

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen comes an enemies-to-lovers romance about the fine line between seeking revenge and finding love.

When she was young, Arya Roth became best friends with her housekeeper’s son. Soon, friendship turned to young love, and when Arya dared him to kiss her, a chain reaction of disastrous events led to the boy being sent away and out of Arya’s life.

Now, two decades later, Arya is an on-the-rise publicist with her beloved father as one of her biggest clients. So when her father is sued by a former employee, Arya sets out to prove that her father is not the monster he is accused of being. The only problem is the attorney who is determined to destroy her father’s good name. Christian Miller is charming, ambitious, and devilishly good looking, and Arya has no idea he is that same boy who kissed her all those years ago.

Past and present collide as Arya falls hard for Christian. But when she finds out who he really is and about his obsession with getting revenge on her father, can she choose love over family?

 AMAZON LINK

5 STARS

Usually a story with it switching back and forth between time frames is something that I don't enjoy.  But I have to say that this book did it so much better than most. It was smooth, it flowed and didn't feel that it disrupted the story. 

The story started out with me thinking, "okay. That's not bad."  I can't even begin to tell you exactly when it pulled me all the way in.  I do know some of the why's though.   It was so well written, great, tough main characters, emotional in ways that were well felt, with plenty of mysteries, plenty of plots and outright lies. It really kept things jumping and interesting.  And the "hate" between Arya and Christian was stellar. 

I ended up giving it highest marks because if I had to use on word about this book it would be: "Surprising''. Surprising in the best possible way.

 

 " I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book through Netgalley. And these are my honest opinions about it.”