Scan barcode
A review by cala_p
Bane by L.J. Shen
5.0
Bane was the book I looked forward to least of all, considering the characters are not one of the main group. Somehow I think LJ Shen knew that readers would have that thought because she doubled down with this one and made it the most impacting story of the series.
Bane is Edie’s ex and friend. His focus is on surfing and using his business smarts to get into the big leagues like the Hotholes. After they turn him away and send him to another business mogul in the area, Darren, Darren and Bane make a deal: for six million, Bane will revitalize Darren’s stepdaughter, Jesse by being a friend and getting her back out in the world. The stipulation is that Bane can’t touch her.
Jesse’s story is hugely impacting. Her high school boyfriend and his friends gangraped her one night, and her parents swept it under the rug and pretended it never happened. This happened after losing her virginity to said boyfriend, but to both their surprises, she wasn’t a virgin so he used his friends to get back at her. Combine the two together, and she was deemed the town’s wh**e and never wants to go out for anything anymore. Her story is worst since she has a black spot in her memory, of a man in a room, but can’t remember anything about it.
She’s stubborn to keep Bane away and Bane is stubborn to be around her. Soon, he wins and they become friendly, friends, then more.
I loved their relationship. It had such a push-pull to it filled with angst. Bane really worked to keep them apart, until it no longer mattered. The book makes him seem like he’ll be an uncaring a**, but he’s actually super sweet and protective of her.
I would deem this easily one of the best books, probably second to Vicious.
Bane is Edie’s ex and friend. His focus is on surfing and using his business smarts to get into the big leagues like the Hotholes. After they turn him away and send him to another business mogul in the area, Darren, Darren and Bane make a deal: for six million, Bane will revitalize Darren’s stepdaughter, Jesse by being a friend and getting her back out in the world. The stipulation is that Bane can’t touch her.
Jesse’s story is hugely impacting. Her high school boyfriend and his friends gangraped her one night, and her parents swept it under the rug and pretended it never happened. This happened after losing her virginity to said boyfriend, but to both their surprises, she wasn’t a virgin so he used his friends to get back at her. Combine the two together, and she was deemed the town’s wh**e and never wants to go out for anything anymore. Her story is worst since she has a black spot in her memory, of a man in a room, but can’t remember anything about it.
She’s stubborn to keep Bane away and Bane is stubborn to be around her. Soon, he wins and they become friendly, friends, then more.
I loved their relationship. It had such a push-pull to it filled with angst. Bane really worked to keep them apart, until it no longer mattered. The book makes him seem like he’ll be an uncaring a**, but he’s actually super sweet and protective of her.
I would deem this easily one of the best books, probably second to Vicious.