On Wednesday after a little delay, The End Zone by L.J. Shen was released. This is a novella that was a part of an anthology, but it now being released on its own. Thanks to Social Butterfly PR and the author I had the opportunity to read and review. To see what I thought of the book, keep on reading!

The End Zone, a sexy friends to lovers romance from L.J. Shen is available NOW!

Jolie Louis is a smart girl.

She knows that her best friend, Sage Poirier, is a bad idea.

He’s a walking, talking cliché. The Adonis quarterback with the bulging biceps and harem of fangirls trailing behind him on campus like a stench you can’t get rid of.

Sadly, it is also the very reason she can’t seem to stay away from him.

No, wait. That’s not fair. They’re also roommates, at least until May, when they graduate from college.

Jolie is already straddling the line between friendship and more when Sage comes to her with an offer she cannot refuse: be his fake girlfriend and live for free for the rest of the semester.

She tells herself that she can handle it.

He’s just the boy she saved ten years ago, right?

Wrong. So very wrong.

He is a man now, and she is his captive

Heart, body, and soul…

** THE END ZONE is now available with an extended epilogue and surprise bonus content that will blow fans of L. J. Shen away! **

Don’t miss out!

Download now or read today FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2uMkEMB

Amazon Universal: mybook.to/TheEndZone           

Audio: https://amzn.to/2GOmcL6

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Excerpt from the Vicious extended epilogue:

Emilia

“Kneel.”

There’s menace in this voice, and I grew to love the man who carries it like a loaded weapon. Every word is a sharp edge of a knife, sinking into my skin.

Kneel.

Sit.

Open your mouth.

Touch yourself.

Repeat after me: Vicious, I’m yours.

Most married couples fall into a blissful, albeit drowsy domestic routine of laundry, family dinners, and Netflix.

Most married couples are not Vicious and me.

We were different from the beginning. A yin and a yang, fighting over which color took more space, black or pink. We started out as enemies, and I think that, although we are still crazy in love, we will always be rivals on some level. We will always be passionate, and angry, and desperate.

We will always be us.

“I’m sorry, I don’t take orders from people who aren’t my boss,” I say coolly, dropping my funky, colorful bag at the door and erasing the distance between us in wide, confident steps. He is standing in front of me, his Armani suit impeccable, his raven hair slicked back, his icicle blue eyes devouring me in ways that make being eaten alive worth it. He scans the length of me, a slight sneer on his face. I’m still me, even so many years later. The tips of my light brown hair are still cherry-blossom pink. The soles of my shoes are yellow, for Christ’s sake.

“That could be arranged, if you continue your sass.”

“How is that going to work, Vicious? Are you going to re-employ me against my will?” For the past eighteen years, I’ve been managing my own gallery in L.A. A gallery he bought for me shortly before our engagement. I have a career, an income of my own. Truth is, he gave me a push, but the entire journey to where I am today was made by me, and only me, and he knows it.

He cups my cheek, yanks me by the hem of my funky powder blue blouse with little suns into his body and leans down for a kiss. Our lips brush briefly, promising scattered clothes and ragged breaths, just as the door swings open and our son walks in. He slams the door behind him, his eyes still intently glued to his phone.

Vaughn is a spitting image of his dad. So much so, that sometimes it scares me.

At sixteen, he has the walk, talk, and air of Vicious when the latter was a senior in high school. Rangy, strong body, thick-fringed blue eyes, skin so fair he looks like he defies the sun, and cheekbones you could use as a sharp weapon. More than anything, he has that uniquely-pissed facial expression that tells you that he just doesn’t care.

Not about your problems.

Not about your feelings.

And certainly not about what you think about him.

Review

Cover

Like I said with the cover reveal, I love this cover. As someone who isn’t a big fan of people on covers, they did it right. The eyes on this guy are WOW, haha. After reading The End Zone, I have to say he looks like I would picture Sage.

Plot

I am a big fan of sports romances and romances when friends become lovers. This was such a fast, easy read and very cute. I really enjoyed myself and ended the book with a smile on my face. Sage, while in the beginning seems like he doesn’t have a care in the world or want a relationship, is actually very sweet and it’s clear that he really cares for Jolie. I loved that we got a glimpse of their childhood and how they met and became best friends. The chemistry between these two is very obvious and I love the humor some of the moments in this novella have. It’s also really funny how oblivious they are about how the other feels. While I think this book would’ve been 5 stars for me had it been a complete novel, it was also nice to not have a major event of something going wrong before they get their happily ever after. They have their ups and downs, but nothing extreme. The two epilogues about these two characters definitely made up for this not being a full length novella. If you’re looking for a fast read filled with romance, humor and love, this is definitely something I would recommend.

I normally talk a bit more about the characters in my reviews, but with it being a novella, it’s too short for me to give a complete description. Sage and Jolie are both amazing characters. I would love to read more about them!

After reading this I really want to read more by LJ Shen. I have a feeling I am going to love her other books. What is your favorite sports romance?