The Kiss Thief (Deluxe Edition)

This deluxe edition includes sprayed edges and black & white interior artwork. Get it while supplies last!

From New York Times bestselling author L.J. Shen comes an enemies-to-lovers romance with a twist...

They say your first kiss should be earned.

Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.

They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.

Mine were broken before we left church.

They say your heart only beats for one man.

Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.

I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.

Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father's sins over his head to force me into marriage.

They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.

I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.

One kiss.

Two men.

Three lives.

Entwined together.

And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.

L.J. Shen is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of contemporary and NA romance. Best known for her angsty, dark books and barely redeemable alpha heroes, she writes fairytales with teeth and claws.

She lives in a picturesque beach town with her family, pets and inner demons, and enjoys reading, traveling, cooking and spending time with her grumpy cat.

The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen is a captivating, emotionally charged contemporary romance that masterfully blends the beloved tropes of enemies-to-lovers, an arranged marriage, and a tantalizing age gap. Set against the glittering, dangerous backdrop of Chicago’s high society and criminal underworld, the novel weaves a dark, modern-day fairytale about vengeance, pride, and the transformative power of unexpected love. At the center of the story is Francesca Rossi, a nineteen-year-old sheltered socialite and the daughter of the powerful head of the Chicago Outfit. Raised in a gilded cage of strict traditions and mafia expectations, Francesca is a romantic at heart. She has spent her entire life dreaming of a simple, beautiful future, eagerly anticipating the day she will marry her childhood sweetheart, Angelo Bandini. However, her carefully orchestrated world is completely upended by the sudden intrusion of Senator Wolfe Keaton, a ruthless, thirty-year-old political powerhouse known for his cold demeanor and insatiable ambition.

The inciting incident of the novel is as dramatic as it is beautifully written. During a lavish masquerade ball, Francesca experiences a moment of stolen magic in the dark. A masked stranger sweeps her into a secluded corner and claims her very first kiss, a breathtaking and passionate encounter that leaves her deeply shaken. The stranger is soon revealed to be none other than Wolfe Keaton. However, Wolfe is not motivated by sudden romance; he is driven by a deep-seated, simmering vendetta against Francesca’s father, Arthur Rossi. Armed with devastating, incriminating evidence that could completely destroy the Rossi empire, Wolfe executes a brutal blackmail scheme. In exchange for his silence and mercy, he demands the one thing Arthur values above all else: Francesca’s hand in marriage. Overnight, Francesca’s dreams are completely shattered as she is violently ripped away from Angelo and forced into an engagement with a man she genuinely despises.

The newly arranged marriage serves as a volatile battleground for the two fierce protagonists. To Wolfe, Francesca is initially nothing more than a beautiful, useful pawn—a tool to exact his revenge on her father, humiliate the Outfit, and present a picture-perfect wife to the public to bolster his upcoming gubernatorial campaign. He is domineering, unapologetically arrogant, and determined to break her rebellious spirit. Francesca, however, is far from a passive victim. Despite her youth and sheltered upbringing, she possesses a fierce, fiery defiance. She refuses to easily submit to the Senator's demands, constantly challenging his authority and guarding her heart against his overwhelming presence. Their daily interactions are defined by sharp, witty banter and an intense, crackling chemistry that slowly begins to blur the rigid lines between deep hatred and undeniable attraction.

As the narrative progresses, Shen brilliantly navigates the slow-burn transition from bitter enemies to reluctant lovers. Trapped in the close quarters of their shared life, Francesca slowly begins to see past Wolfe’s icy, calculating exterior. She uncovers the deeply buried scars of his traumatic past, realizing that his ruthless ambition and thirst for vengeance were forged by profound grief and betrayal. Simultaneously, Wolfe finds himself completely captivated by his young wife. Her strength, her unwavering loyalty, and her vibrant spirit begin to thaw his frozen heart. He becomes fiercely possessive and highly protective of her, realizing that he no longer wants to simply own her as a political trophy, but desperately wants to earn her genuine affection. This shift creates a profound internal conflict for Francesca, who finds herself caught between the comfortable, nostalgic love she once held for Angelo and the dark, all-consuming passion she is developing for her husband.

The tension culminates in a high-stakes climax where loyalties are severely tested, and ultimate choices must be made. When Angelo inevitably makes a desperate play to rescue Francesca and reclaim the life they were supposed to have, Francesca is forced to confront the absolute truth of her feelings. She realizes that the naive girl who loved Angelo no longer exists; she has been irrevocably changed by the fierce, challenging love of Wolfe Keaton. In a stunning display of character growth, Wolfe, a man who has spent his entire life ruthlessly chasing power and revenge, makes the ultimate sacrifice. He willingly places his political career and his lifelong vendetta on the line to ensure Francesca’s safety and happiness, proving that his love for her is far more powerful than his desire for retribution. The novel concludes with a deeply satisfying happily-ever-after, beautifully illustrating how even the most broken, guarded hearts can be healed by a love that demands everything.