Playing with Fire

Product Information

Playing with fire is such a sweet surprise. It is different, it is fresh, and it's the kind of love story that consumes you. i didn't hate it but i also didn't love it, mostly, i just didn't feel anything. but that's probably a me thing i don't know. I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing - Ballantine via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.

Playing with Fire by L.J. Shen - Goodreads Editions of Playing with Fire by L.J. Shen - Goodreads

This book is absolute PERFECTION, it is a story that talks about pain, rebirth, hope, second chances, friendship and love, and it may sound cliché BUT I WILL NOT FORGET THIS STORY AS LONG AS LIVE. That is the magic, the power in L.J. Shen words, they make you feel everything what the characters feel, the bar that she set is unreachable. I can't wait for people to read this story, get ready for the most angst book by this author to date, is an emotional ride that owns my mind, heart and soul!This is a standalone thriller by the author of the Rizzoli & Isles series. I have never read anything by this author and was intrigued by the description All The Stars for "Playing With Fire"!!! I absolutely loved this book! Major feels! I was still crying during the author's note. I listened to the audio version. Julia Whelan is the narrator of one of the two points of view. She is my absolute favorite narrator. There are two storylines going on in this novel. The historical fiction aspect is a complete 5! The other storyline was a mystery and that was a 4.5 for me. Although I didn't figure the mystery part out so I'm giving this novel in total a 5! L.J. Shen has always been a ‘read anything’ author to me. Every book she has written has always been a true and explosive ride for me. Her characters, so addictive. Her words, so illuminating. Her books, full of stories that grab a piece of my heart and make me fall in love. She is one of the authors, who writes stories that take you on an unforgettable journey. Whether it is a billionaire romance, a mafia romance, a new adult romance or an angsty read, L.J. Shen takes you deep into her web of stories that will captivate and enchant you forever. This is the L J Shen I feel in love with. I've missed this side of her writing. Emotional, wonderful and deep characters who you'll connect with on a deeper level! She did such an outstanding job with West and Grace! I loved them and their emotional bagagges, seeing them finding each other, become friends and eventually more was such a fun yet emotional journey. I loved every second of it. In the opening part of the book we meet Julia who is in Venice following a concert given by the quartet she is a part of, she plays the violin. She is looking for a last minute gift for herself when she stumbles upon an antiques store and an odd bit of old music, a beautiful waltz she has never heard of along with a book of “gypsy” music she buys them.

Playing with Fire by L.J. Shen | Goodreads

Playing with fire by L.J. Shen was raw, riveting, realistic, every emotion known to man kind I felt, everything this author threw into this book I felt. The characters, they were brought to life so vividly in my mind it was like they were right in front of me. Tess Gerritsen, author of the series featuring Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and coroner Maura Isles, delivers an outstanding story that’s totally different with “Playing With Fire.” When L.J. Shen says she is writing something so different from what she has ever written, take her word for it and then some. Playing With Fire is nothing short of Playing With Fire by L.J. Shen made my heart and soul burn so brightly and sweetly. The writing dragged me down to the most beautiful emotional hell and took me to the heaven of angst. One of my favourite L.J. Shen story ever. I read this because I had a fabulous holiday in Italy where I read an excellent novel set in WWII Florence which swept me up into a world I didn’t want to leave. When I saw this was set in Italy during the war I thought it might provide a way of prolonging my holiday…The way in which West regarded Grace and everything that surrounded and challenged her was jaw-dropping. Yes, he was hot and cold with her - but only because that is what she thought she wanted, and what he knew. When he let his guard down and they both allowed their vulnerabilities to show, it was simply all-consuming and beautiful. These two broken souls became one. They completed the other. They healed each other, and they both showed the resilience and power of the human spirit. I got up and scooped her up, giving people something to look at and talk about for years in this godforsaken town, pressing a dirty kiss to her lips and almost breaking her jaw in the process. I don't know what I expected after reading the blurb and seeing the cover. But I certainly didn't expect THIS KIND OF POWERFUL WRITING. L.J. Shen didn't hit my feels like this like forever. Probably since Broken Knight. And that's something considering I sobbed through that book and pretty much the same thing happened here. West and Grace stripped me raw and left the wires of my messed up emotions exposed. I am feeling all sorts of overwhelming things. This heartbreaking yet incredibly motivating story of two broken people was one of the best angsty romance I have ever read. They have burrowed deep inside my heart. I cried for their pain. I am awed by their strength and resilience. I laughed for their happiness. I was into this journey with them. This was not a love story. It was a life story. They became unlikely friends. And then inevitable lovers. Their love was their healing mantra. Love tested them, destroyed them and rebuilt them from the ashes of their past. It was so beautiful. So epic. So pure. So intense. Everything I could want from a great love story. i actually liked Grace's character development when she finally had the confidence to face her fear and even though i can't connect with her character i still like that she cares deeply for her grandma.

Playing with Fire: The Weird Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle

The story alternates between Julia and Lorenzo, the young Jewish violinist who composed “Incendio” during the Nazi occupation of Italy. Sad, evil times, which are described in historical notes at the end of the book. West and Grace breathed new life into me, this may be a small town romance but there's nothing small about their story. They are fierce and powerful. They are ruthlessly honest and transparent with each other. The story really hooked me from the very beginning and I thought that I was well on my way to a 4 or 5 star rating. I absolutely love music so when I started reading and realized that music was going to be a part of the story, I knew that I was in for a treat. One of the main characters in the book, Julia, is a violinist. Julia collects music and at the beginning of the story she acquires a piece of music while on a trip to Rome that ends up playing an important role in the story.I don't know if the content and what these two go through is making me particularly emotional but this book cut deep! Their broken pieces and tattered hearts and bruised souls will reach right out to you. This book is SO different from any other book LJ has released. If you’ve never read a book from this author then please, PLEASE at least read this one, it’s a story that shouldn’t be brushed aside as an “I’ll read later” it’s the kind of book that needs to be read now In the second thread of the novel we are introduced to the Todesco family, particularly Lorenzo, an aspiring violinist. It is 1938 and the weight of fascist change is slowly descending on Italy's Jews like the Todescos. The book takes place in both Italy and the US. It also takes place in present day and during WWII. We have two narrators, two points of view, and two stories that do come together in the end. He basically dragged Mel up the stairs, blood dribbling down his chin, slammed her against the empty elevator bank, and screwed her senseless... Mel told her it was insane and carnal and hot as Hades. But that he didn't even look at her face as he gave her two orgasms... Mel said he kept touching her hair while pounding into her and that he kept talking about Texas."