I was hooked on this story from the beginning. I'm not new to L.J.Shen's novels. I've read her books before. This is unlike anything I've read by her before...as she states in her personal notes after the epilouge. And boy is it. I loved all of the characters, the storyline, the dialog and even how the chapters are filled with different POV's. Shen takes you on a roller coaster ride of feelings throughout your time reading this story. It's funny, romantic, heartbreaking, thought provoking and even adrenaline inducing at times. It has the the HEA ending and beautiful closure at the end. The kind that satisfies you after you realize there's not a sequel and you're a bit angry and heartbroken because there's not more to read with these lovely cool characters she's brought to life. If you choose to pass on this book It's your loss. But I was able to read this book for free (thanks to my subscription to KU) and have now decided to buy a copy of the real thing because I want to have it in my library to read and re-read again when I want. It's now one if my favorites and so is L.J. Shen.
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Popular Highlights in this book
Moral of the story: clutching something desperately doesn’t mean you’re going to keep it. You might just kill it.Highlighted by 1,238 Kindle readers- “That was a minute ago. It’s time to move on. Don’t let the little things in life bother you, yeah?”Highlighted by 1,129 Kindle readers
- “For no doubt disrupting your life and tearing it apart next time I meet you. All’s fair in love and war, yeah?”Highlighted by 957 Kindle readers
From the Publisher
About the author
I feel like L.J. Shen just Pen-Warded me.
I recently said that Penelope Ward puts me through the wringer, and my Ativan prescription gets a work out reading her books. I am highly dread-filled, a true worrywart, I don’t trust authors to give me HEA even when they promise it.L.J. Shen nearly crippled me for a good portion of In the Unlikely Event.Young love is a mixture of hormones and inexperience. I’m old; you will have to take my word for it. Rory Jenkins is full of the dewy awakenings of adulthood, not ready to reconcile the death of the dad she never got to meet or know beyond letters. Fresh from high school graduation, she goes AWOL to Dublin to at least see where her kin live. What she finds is a warning about homicidal gray squirrels, a sexy Boheme poet, and a cold welcome that lets her know that Tolka, Ireland is not for her.Although she stays in Dublin and Tolka only one day and night, it’s long enough for her to realize that the poet who best knew her father is quickly and infinitely dear to her heart, but doomed to break it. Fate has given her a brief few stolen hours with Malachy Doherty. Upon their farewell, the troubadour, and drinky romantic, pens out a vow that in the unlikely event the two lovers should meet again, they will forego all else and claim one another for a lifetime of sublime moments like those that they discovered in Tolka.It’s the Rory and Mal pre-marriage-proposal proposal written upon a napkin and signed next to a ketchup stain.An admission that their youthful love will remain pure and will never dim nor die regardless of distance and timeIt’s the promise that L.J. Shen was giving me that everything would be alright if I just hung in there.But humans, both fictional and in reality, exhaust me, and these two lovers in cahoots with their creator were only issuing me a threat that my soul, heart, and nerves would not survive the wreckage that the plot and narrative would surely serve.And L.J. Shen wrecked me.She plays the devil with Rory and Mal’s hearts and lives. It’s Shakespearean in its level of tragedy. The wind up is intense, the transition felt rushed, but the reveals along the way were K.O.s that effed me up once and again.The POV swaps throughout the book from Mal and Rory so you can see the emotional state of both. The story has cute little vignettes between chapters that are ‘notes’ from other characters to readers, giving us peeks into all the shadows and actors that impact the narrative. Although this unique exposition-packed vehicle of confessions has the potential to blowout the story, it doesn’t — the push and pull between all the characters works. The slow-rolling rediscovery of their metaphysical love opens up the world L.J. Shen builds in In The Unlikely Event.Bravo! You figuratively kicked my dog into the street and made sure it was only struck by lightning rather than traffic.Now that is ironic.I loved this book.I recommend it.—and It is an excellent read for anyone who enjoys Penelope Ward too.I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2024
- Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2019
I recently said that Penelope Ward puts me through the wringer, and my Ativan prescription gets a work out reading her books. I am highly dread-filled, a true worrywart, I don’t trust authors to give me HEA even when they promise it.
L.J. Shen nearly crippled me for a good portion of In the Unlikely Event.
Young love is a mixture of hormones and inexperience. I’m old; you will have to take my word for it. Rory Jenkins is full of the dewy awakenings of adulthood, not ready to reconcile the death of the dad she never got to meet or know beyond letters. Fresh from high school graduation, she goes AWOL to Dublin to at least see where her kin live. What she finds is a warning about homicidal gray squirrels, a sexy Boheme poet, and a cold welcome that lets her know that Tolka, Ireland is not for her.
Although she stays in Dublin and Tolka only one day and night, it’s long enough for her to realize that the poet who best knew her father is quickly and infinitely dear to her heart, but doomed to break it. Fate has given her a brief few stolen hours with Malachy Doherty. Upon their farewell, the troubadour, and drinky romantic, pens out a vow that in the unlikely event the two lovers should meet again, they will forego all else and claim one another for a lifetime of sublime moments like those that they discovered in Tolka.
It’s the Rory and Mal pre-marriage-proposal proposal written upon a napkin and signed next to a ketchup stain.
An admission that their youthful love will remain pure and will never dim nor die regardless of distance and time
It’s the promise that L.J. Shen was giving me that everything would be alright if I just hung in there.
But humans, both fictional and in reality, exhaust me, and these two lovers in cahoots with their creator were only issuing me a threat that my soul, heart, and nerves would not survive the wreckage that the plot and narrative would surely serve.
And L.J. Shen wrecked me.
She plays the devil with Rory and Mal’s hearts and lives. It’s Shakespearean in its level of tragedy. The wind up is intense, the transition felt rushed, but the reveals along the way were K.O.s that effed me up once and again.
The POV swaps throughout the book from Mal and Rory so you can see the emotional state of both. The story has cute little vignettes between chapters that are ‘notes’ from other characters to readers, giving us peeks into all the shadows and actors that impact the narrative. Although this unique exposition-packed vehicle of confessions has the potential to blowout the story, it doesn’t — the push and pull between all the characters works. The slow-rolling rediscovery of their metaphysical love opens up the world L.J. Shen builds in In The Unlikely Event.
Bravo! You figuratively kicked my dog into the street and made sure it was only struck by lightning rather than traffic.
Now that is ironic.
I loved this book.
I recommend it.
—and It is an excellent read for anyone who enjoys Penelope Ward too.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2019
Top reviews from other countries
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- JoanneReviewed in Canada on December 7, 2019
Tangled Web of Angst and shear Pleasure!!
- Linn JulianelliReviewed in Brazil on November 20, 2019
The best roller-coaster ride
