Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice: 🌶️.5/5

So it seems my recent M.O is going into books blind... And right here is another one. I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this series finale, featuring Duffy and Riggs 💖 Leigh always has a way with words and this book was nothing short of phenomenal!! ❤️

So Duffy needs a visa stat in order to stay in the US. When her American BF goes back on his word and decides to "find himself" in Nepal, the wedding and plan she had all along goes down the pan, thus struggling to find a solution from getting deported back to the UK.

Enter Riggs, who she finds in a very compromising position with her high powered 'married' boss. Duffy finds herself desperate and strikes a deal... If Riggs marries her so she can obtain a green card, she will refrain from going to the media to reveal the scandalous affair her boss is having.

Riggs thinks Duffy is crazy and shoots her down straight away. He is not one for commitment - never has been and never will be. Despite being a billionaire he lives a nomad lifestyle, believing money changes people. However, his boss assigns him a job in Alaska for 8 months, which he can't get out of. That is unless he conveniently has a "wife"... *Ahem* hello Duffy 👋🏻

Initially, I didn't like Duffy or Riggs characters, but as we delved deeper into their past traumas and experiences, and another side of them was revealed, that all simply changed! I could really sympathise the person who they've grown up to become and I could not love them more! They definitely became a better person by being together and their love... ❤️ It was just too cute!!

P.s make sure to have some tissues ready... You'll need it at some point 🥹

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the eARC in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻

I gave the book a four star in an attempt to be generous but honestly it was closer to a three star. Honestly, at one point in the first 50% I questioned if I was going to have to DNF the book. After the 50% mark things started to pick up a little and I chose to stick it out.

Storyline: We start the book out with Daphne she is the assistant to Gretchen who is leaving NYC to work for the white house. Not only is she leaving Daphne jobless but she is also leaving her without somebody to sponsor her work visa. Daphne is from London. One day Daphne walks in on something she shouldn't have and is given the perfect plan to stay in the US. Marry someone (via blackmail) to obtain a green card. Riggs the MMC (who is linked to Gretchen I am trying not to spoil it) moves in with Daphne and they get to the task of getting her a green card. They get married, and start to build a relationship of sorts in the hope that they can convince the immigration office what they have is real. Over time they both develop feelings for the other but when shit hits the fan, Riggs decides that things have gone too far and leaves. He agrees to still go through with relationship for her green card but doesn't want to carry on their actual relationship. Things work out in the end and they get their HEA.

Thoughts: This book was stock full of stereotypes. Daphne was a legit self proclaimed gold digger, on the search for "security" because she grew up in poverty. Riggs was the frugal billionaire...shoot me now. While I liked their banter and a lot of the time when Daphne was rude it was funny she was also extremely shallow and the shit with her ex drove me up a wall. Like everyone is different but I grew up poor and would legit never want to be someones doormat in exchange for financial security. No thanks. Riggs was supposed to be a "casanova" but really he was just a 37 year old man child with daddy and mommy issues. They were both so annoying that honestly they fit together. The first 50% of the book was so hard to get into I legit almost didn't finish it. I honestly didn't real feel their chemistry at all and when Riggs friends would roast him I was like bro that is a sign to GROW TF UP.

This one was honestly just not for me. The marrying for a green card bit was boring and I felt like the overall plot was just sort of bleh. The spice was limited and some of the dialogue was weird as well.

I'm fascinated, captivated, absolutely in love with this book, my mind won't stop spinning and thinking about everything it made me feel, it's an overload of emotions that made me laugh, cry, sigh and left me with a warm heart and a smile. The story is intense, fun, angst, steamy, SOO GOOD! Cold Hearted Casanova is a captivating and all-consuming romance that will leave you breathless!

This enemies to lovers/ marriage of convenience contains all that I love in a romance, slow burn, angsty galore, tension-filled, slow burn, suspense, twists that left me in shock, a sunshine hero / grumpy heroine, deep soul connection, bromance, Plus, the sarcasm makes me laugh out loud. The banter is off the charts!!

The characters are so perfectly imperfect, I can't get over them Riggs, sigh, he's, the perfect combination of Dean and Hunter, always friendly, so funny, with the world's biggest heart of gold, he is a TOP BOOK BOYFRIEND EVER. Daphne, I loved her, beneath her frivolous exterior lies the sweetest girl ever. Their tension is palpable through the pages wow, they caused a swarm of butterflies in my stomach reading their scenes and their sex scenes are deliciously hot, the best I've ever read,. They start with a marriage of convenience but little by little feelings begin to surface and I loved their deep emotional connection, the way in which both support each other and help to become the best version of themselves, so much love and pain and deep change. I love them so much

This book is a top read 2024! LJ outdid herself, I don't know how she does it but her books are getting better and better, she saved the best of the series for last. The story gave me all the feelings, I'm so addicted to this story, SHE SLAYED AGAIN!

read quite a bit of L.J. Shen's books a few years back and always loved the way she managed to capture complex, morally-ambiguous characters. Riggs is no exception to her go-to, and there are multiple moments that had me cringing for both characters sake.

Cold Hearted Casanova was a really interesting read for me. I was completely engaged in this very typical marriage for convenience plot. However, there was a really intriguing storyline with Riggs that broke my heart a little bit. There is a strong possibility that I may have shed a tear or two.

Daphne wasn't my favourite main character. Although we are told that she is a gold digger due to her complex past, this didn't seem to resonate with me at all. She was a really hard character to like and there were multiple times where I thought they were both absolute idiots in the way that they miscommunicated.

Regardless, I still really enjoyed this novel and I recommend it if you are also a fan of the marriage of convenience trope and morally ambiguous characters.

I absolutely love L.J. Shen. This was another wonderful book. The characters are well written. I found myself laughing out loud, wanting to get misty eyed and there were twists that we unpredictable. This book is an enemies to lovers to marriage of convenience, found family and a slow burn story that makes this romance so good!! I would definitely recommend this book and the others in this series.


Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

This is the final book in the Cruel Castaways series. It can be read as a stand-alone although it does have appearances from the characters in the previous books. It isn't vital to know those backstories to understand or read this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book. So much so that I read it in one day and practically one sitting. Some parts made me laugh and some parts made me cry. I loved that the relationship building between Daphne and Riggs felt more realistic and not rushed or drawn out too long. The tropes used in this book, in my opinion, were handled perfectly and none of them left me frustrated.

There was one part of the book, at the end, that did have me wondering if the author did much research into Alaska or perhaps I misunderstood the trip the characters were taking or where Riggs's parents lived, but Juneau, AK is not near Denali National Park or where Riggs mother passed away. It is actually very far away and to travel to and from Juneau is only by boat or plane. There are no roads in or out. So for Rigg's parents to have been near Denali, they would have most likely lived way further north than Juneau such as Talkeetna or at minimum Anchorage area. I say this as someone who had lived in that area for over 15 years. I will say that it was neat to see Auke Lake mentioned because it is a beautiful lake and the scenery is gorgeous, especially during summer.

Overall, this book was entertaining and I enjoyed the story and it had a satisfying ending.

I really loved this book and it was a great conclusion to this series and I was a bit sad to finish this. I love LJ Shen's books, there is just something about them.

I love a marriage of convenience book and I will always read a book if this trope is written. Bit of enemies to lovers just made this book great. The relationship and banter between Riggs and Duffy was hilarious and so good. The way the marriage of convenience came about was so funny. I will admit at first it took me a while to like Duffy because she was a bit materialistic and a tad cold but once I understood why it made it much easier to like and understand her. I loved these two together so much and they were the perfect way to end the series!

4/5 stars

I can't wait to see when LJ releases next and you bet I will be there!

L.J.Shen and their stories hit different every single time.

I read a lot of her books but this series hs somethings so different and addictive - it's so hard to put it down!

Hands down one of my favorites!!

I enjoyed this book so much! I laughed, and I cried. I love an enemies to lovers trope. Big bad boy secret billionaire bachelor never wanting to settle down. Posh British young woman wanting to marry up and needs a green card. They both find themselves, while growing to be their best version, letting go of past Identities, and fall in love.

Cold Hearted Casanova is the final book of the Cruel Castaways series. LJ Shen makes us work for this one with flawed characters, pop culture references and funny moments. Who can resist a fake marriage, enemies-to-lovers, billionaire story?

It took me a while to warm up to Duffy. She was cold, stiff and shallow. A materialistic "social climber." As the story progressed it became easy to love her. I loved her crazy lists and laminating! She was also kind and loyal. She really came full circle.

And Riggs... was also difficult to love. He is your typical no-strings, no-roots man. He had some surprising issues. He also tended to couch surf and shrug responsibility. He at least is honest about not wanting commitment or roots. A surprise twist near the end really brought his heart out - front and center.

Riggs and Duffy's story flows through the chapters. Their story will leave you warm and fuzzy by the end. A fun series with interesting characters. Looking forward to the next LJ Shen series!

3.75 stars

#AuthorLJShen #ColdHeartedCasanova #CruelCastaways #RiggsAndDuffy #HEA #BillionaireRomance #Enemies-to-Lovers

This is the third book in the Cruel Castaways series, but can be read as a standalone. I personally had not read either of the first two books.

This is actually my first read by LJ Shen and honestly I am just not sure how to feel about it. Overall I liked the blackmailing into marriage for a visa storyline, but I disliked Duffy and Riggs so much. Duffy was so money hungry it was beyond annoying and Riggs, my lord, how was that man over the age of 30?! He talked and acted like he was still in high school! There was a slight redemption for both characters in the end, but ultimately it felt like such a long and hard fought battle to get to the point of enjoying them together and honestly I was just ready for it to be over.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

Inspired by The Proposal, Coldhearted Casanova is the last book in the Cruel Castaway series and it focuses on Riggs Bates and Daphne Markham. Daphne “Duffy” Markham is an executive assistant at WNT to an anchorwoman who has recently accepted a position working at the White House as the press secretary and subsequently will be leaving New York. As a result, WNT will not be renewing Duffy’s work visa leaving her in jeopardy of being deported back to England. Riggs Bates works as a photographer at Discovery Magazine despite not needing the income. His reluctance to disclose his billionaire status rooted from his family history and witnessing firsthand experience the cause and effect of how money causes corruption into people’s behavior. Resultantly, Riggs lives a nomadic lifestyle while pretending he doesn’t have money. Duffy, desperate to stay in New York, walks in on her boss and Riggs in a comprising situation and blackmails Riggs into marrying her for a visa so she could stay in New York. Riggs, also desperate to stay in New York but is repulsed by the idea of monogamy, is even more so revolted by being sent away to Alaska for his job. Reluctantly, he agrees to marry Duffy under some stipulations. The more time the two spend together, the more they realize how much attraction they have towards each other.

It is so bittersweet to see an end to a remarkable series, especially one as impressive and enthralling as this one. Riggs is everything you see in an LJ Shen’s hero. He’s damaged, he’s cold, and he’s unemotional. He is until he meets his match and Duffy is definitely his equal. Where Riggs is hard and relentless, Duffy is malleable to a certain degree and persistent. Her need to prove herself is admirable but it is also her downfall. Duffy’s “gold-digger” title is misconceived and Riggs’s casanova reputation comes with a reason. This is a story of love, forgiveness, losing and rediscovering yourself, and finding happiness and appreciation in the simple things in life. It’s a story of righting your wrongs and facing your fears; a journey of love and self discovery. But most of all, it’s a story of growth and acknowledgment and embracing the person who you were then to the person who you are now.

I absolutely adore this captivating series so much and this one of my favorite series in the LJ Shen universe. I am beyond ecstatic to read LJ’s next series and I’m anticipating all of her future releases.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED Duffy and Riggs!
I loved the dry humor and the back-and-forth dynamic between the two.
I thought I was going to find the money conversation annoying but it worked well in the story and just the right amount.

🅡🅘🅖🅖🅢 🅑🅐🅣🅔🅢 🅢🅣🅞🅛🅔 🅜🅨 🅗🅔🅐🅡🅣
𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓, 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅! 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆-𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌.
𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍, 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 . . . 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒅!

I SO LOVED this book. The banter was great and so were the characters and what they added to the book. Plus loved how that spice was the icing on the cake.

⭐️: 4

✨ fake marriage
✨ social disparity (rich/poor)
✨ reformed playboy

I knew right away from the way we met the MMC Riggs in the first chapter, that this was going to be a wild ride.

Overall, I really liked the opposites attract, bad boy vs good girl chemistry between Riggs and Duffy. The story line was intriguing and there were some real tear jerker moments towards the end. It definitely could have used a bit more angst and slow burn, but I appreciate it for what it is.

One thing worth mentioning- I hadn’t realize this was a series until I finished the book and was reading the author’s acknowledgements. That being said, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone. Adding books 1 and 2 to my never ending TBR!

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and LJ Shen for the ARC of Cold Hearted Casanova.

Riggs Bates is a billionaire but doesn’t show it and can’t seem to sit still for more than a few days before he’s off on his next adventure. Daphne “Duffy” Markham is desperate to figure out a way to stay in America as her work visa is ending and her boyfriend (who comes from a rich family giving her the life she dreams of) is leaving the country to teach monks for six months. When Daphne accidentally catches her boss in a compromising position with an adonis of a man (who isn’t her husband) she blackmails them into having said man marry her for a green card. That man is Riggs who ironically also needs this marriage to avoid a trip his work is forcing on him … but can Riggs keep still in one place long enough for this to work out?


I’m really good about reading things out of order because again here I am jumping into a series that’s now completed on the last book … oops.

I thought this was a cute story, I was expecting more angst though so that was the only reason I didn’t give the story 5 stars. I really loved Charlie and how he was worked into the plot. Overall, a good end to a series even if it was just the beginning for me.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Once again L.J. Shen delivers . I can’t put it into words how much I loved this book. it was everything what I hoped for and then some . it made me laugh and cry and as always delivers in the spice department . I’m sad to part with these characters but I will always be grateful to Ms Shen for bringing these characters to life. Definitely recommend this series! 10 stars .

"THIS PREMISE IS SPEAKING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TO MY SOUL AND MY SOUL IS COMPREHENDING. LJ SHEN PLEASE SEND ME THIS SO I CAN PREACH ABOUT IT TO MY 10 MONTH OLD WHILE SHES NAPPING ON ME. THANK YOU." This was months ago, and then I was lucky enough to get approved for this on Netgalley. I knew Riggs was going to have a lot of growing up or letting go so to speak to do. I love that his blackmailing wife is everything he never wanted and was so good for him! The way this book started and the way these two characters meet was one of the funniest and unique ways to start a book. I am a huge LJ Shen fan and she doesn't disappoint with this one! I will say I hate the gold digger phrase and insinuation it's just not worth it because Daphne especially reading it from her perspective is so much better than that. What happened to Micko? I couldn't find an resolution on that. Thank you so much to the publisher, LJ Shen, and Netgalley for letting me adore this book!

Grab a box of tissues for this crazy marriage of convenience story.

Riggs a renounced bachelor travels to world for work until one day he gets an assignment for Alaska and refuses to go but his jobs says he has not commitments to keep him from going. In comes Daphne who is in the US on a visa that is about to expire when her long term boyfriend breaks up with her to travel. Daphne and Riggs meet in an unorthodox way and come to an agreement to marry for convenience, well the force proximity, no feelings clause doesn’t always end the way you want. Feeling enter the picture and both are too stubborn to admit it.