Cold Hearted Casanova (Cruel Castaways 3) by LJ Shen-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 9,2024

Riggs Bates may be a billionaire, but he knows money can’t buy happiness. He keeps his financial status a secret and takes his women the same way he takes his meals—a different one three times a day. That’s until he’s caught sleeping with a married newswoman by none other than her ambitious assistant.

Daphne “Duffy” Markham wants two things in life: marry well and stay in the States. So when her almost-fiancé takes off to “find himself” and her work visa approaches expiration, Duffy resorts to the only thing she has left—blackmail. Luckily, Riggs needs an excuse to stay in New York as badly as she does, so their first meeting quickly leads to a begrudging engagement.

Armed with strict house rules and their mutual distaste for one another, Riggs and Duffy soon find there’s no denying the spark between them…or the fact that this fake marriage is starting to feel a little too real.

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REVIEW:COLD HEARTED CASANOVA is the third instalment in LJ Shen’s contemporary, adult CRUEL CASTAWAYS erotic, romance series. This is thirty-seven year old billionaire and photographer Riggs Bates, and thirty -year old PA Daphne ‘Duffy’ Markham’s story line. COLD HEARTED CASANOVA can get read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary .

Told from dual first person perspectives (Riggs And Duffy) COLD HEARTED CASANOVA follows the fake relationship and marriage between our story line couple. British born citizen Daphne ‘Duffy’ Markham is on temporary assignment working in America for a woman who has been relocated to Washington DC but walking in on her married boss in a compromising position with a beautiful man pushes Duffy to do something she never thought she would: blackmail her boss, and the handsome stranger in exchange for her silence and an American visa and green card. Enter Riggs Bates, the man with whom Duffy will fall in love but Riggs has a secret-he is a billionaire who doesn’t advertise his wealth, a secret he was never going to reveal. While Duffy struggles between head and heart in the wake of the break up from her former love, Riggs sets into motion a plan to ensure his ‘fake marriage’ feels real for the woman he loves. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Riggs and Duffy, and the potential fall-out as their time together comes with an expiry date.

The world building focuses on Duffy’s struggle to remain in America: her battle to let go of the past; and her fight to accept that her marriage is only temporary to a man who is unable to give her his heart. Riggs Bates early years were mired in rejection and loss, and in this, Riggs has vowed never to settle down or fall in love but meeting Duffy Markham gave Riggs pause for a future but a future that may be shorter than they could ever have imagined.

The relationship between Duffy and Riggs begins as a fake relationship predicated upon a blackmail scheme for our story line heroine. Duffy wants to remain in the US, and Riggs has no permanent address due to his world travels for work. Riggs is determined to not to fall in love; while Duffy struggles to keep her feelings buried where no one can see. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters include the return of of Arya and Christian (Ruthless Rival #1), Arlene and Winnifred (Fallen Foe 2), as well as Duffy’s neighbor Charlie; her twin brother Kieran, their parents, and Duffy’s assortment of former co-workers and employees.

COLD HEARTED CASANOVA is an emotional story of secrets and lies, betrayal and heart break; acceptance and forgiveness, family and love. The premise is captivating and emotional; the romance is fated and seductive; the characters are determined, desperate, broken but struggling to heal.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Ruthless Rival
Fallen Foe

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

L.J. Shen is USA Today, WSJ, Washington Post and #1 Amazon Kindle Store bestselling author of contemporary romance books.

She writes angsty books, unredeemable anti-heroes who are in Elon Musk’s tax bracket, and sassy heroines who bring them to their knees (for more reasons than one).

HEAs and groveing are guaranteed.

She lives in Florida with her husband, three sons, and a disturbingly active imagination.

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