REVIEW: Cold Hearted Casanova by L.J. Shen

Cold Hearted Casanova by L.J. Shen: If there is one thing that Riggs Bates was allergic to it was monotony. Being confined to the same city for more than a few days, pure torture. Seeing the same woman more than once, basically a death sentence in his books, so why does being with Duffy feel different, comfortable even? You see it all started out with being caught in a compromising position, which lead to Riggs kind of being blackmailed into marrying a posh-wannabe, snotty Brit named Daphne. However unlikely and unconventional their arrangement might seem, it would actually help both of them out of a jam; Duffy could get her American Green Card and Riggs could keep his annoying editor from trying to send him on assignment to the one place he vowed never to visit, Alaska. With heir strict no strings and no feelings rules in place what could possibly go wrong?

Cold Hearted Casanova was incredible! This book was the perfect ending to one of the best series by Shen. I loved every single moment of reading this steamy, slow burn, fake turned real marriage of convenience. Not only did this book deliver an incredible love story, I loved the amount of dept that went into building both main characters. I will say that true to fashion Shen has manage to completely wreck my heart, there was os much of emotion and pain laced into this book that it was impossible not to get invested. This was the type of book that you knew right from the first few pages that it would be impossible to put down or forget.

I loved all of the Cruel Castaway guys but I will always have a special place in my heart of Riggs. Yes, he might have been a huge Casanova but coldhearted he was far from this. Gosh did Riggs just steal my heart, this guy was all kinds of emotionally messed up and fighting his hearts desire to care and allow others in, but gosh once he did care he for you it was magical. He was so not your conventional billionaire hero, instead of throwing around his wealth, Riggs hide from it. He was all about the simple life and enjoying the experiences. After getting a glimpse of him in the other two books, I’m glad we finally got to dive into his story and see the reason why he is the way he is. And gosh did my heart just break for him, Riggs is the true testament that money doesn’t buy happiness, even with all the money in the world he was so alone and this just broke my heart. Though I will say I liked the way his story came full circle and seeing him get the closure that he didn’t realise that he needed.

The character growth in this book was incredible, not only do we get to see Riggs grow up and allow himself to feel and love but we also get to see Duffy realise what is truly important. I think Duffy was a brilliant leading lady, for the first half of the book she came across as a bit of a gold digger but once we truly got to know her and understand her reason for craving the security that came with marrying rich, it was impossible to fault her or disliker her. In actual fact I really liked her character, she was hard working, strong willed, not afraid to speak her mind and actually a bit funny. Much like Riggs, Duffy to didn’t have the most ideal childhood and this just crushed my heart. Its not easy to come from nothing but gosh this only motivated her to make something of herself. Though I will say that I hated that she was allowing herself to settle for so long with BJ, gosh this guy was a total entitled tool and I could not stand him!

The connection between Duffy and Riggs was insanely hot!! There was an instant spark right from their rather unconventional first meeting. I loved that they both tried to deny their attraction but ultimately failed dismally. Aside from having some scorching hot moments, I loved the emotional connection that they formed. They supported each other in away that no one else ever had and I loved this about their relationship. I absolutely loved the fact that during the third act break up, Riggs cared so much for Duffy that he was willing to break his own rule of admitting his wealth in order to make sure that she was comfortable.

The supporting characters in this book were really good, I loved getting to see the guys again and seeing how they have progressed in their lives. I really liked the bond that Riggs and Kieran formed. I have to say I really liked Charlie and his story arc, granted it was heartbreaking but also so freaking good.

Cold Hearted Casanova was incredible, this book is a prime example of why I love reading. There was romance, angst, drama, suspense, heartbreak and ultimately a sweet ending. I highly recommend reading this book!

Book Info:

Publication: April 9, 2024 | Montlake | Cruel Castaways #3

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.