L.J. Shen

Hey there, dark romance lovers! I'm L.J. Shen, and I write the kind of books that'll probably ruin you for nice guys forever. (Sorry not sorry about that.)

I was born in Israel but moved to the US as a teenager, which might explain why I have such a thing for writing characters who never quite fit in. That outsider perspective? It's given me a pretty unique lens on all the delicious drama that unfolds in American high society. And trust me, I use every bit of that in my books.

Writing wasn't actually my first career choice - I started out in business and marketing. But those stories in my head wouldn't shut up, and eventually I gave in. Thank god I did, because it turns out creating morally grey billionaires and damaged anti-heroes is way more fun than corporate meetings. (Though I will say my business background comes in handy when writing those boardroom scenes... just maybe not the ones you can read in public.)

If you've read any of my books, you know I don't do sweet and fluffy. My heroes are usually the guys your mama warned you about - ruthless, arrogant, and complicated as hell. Take Vicious from my Sinners of Saint series. That man is probably my most infamous creation, and he lives up to his name in every possible way. He's the kind of character who'll make you throw your Kindle across the room... and then scramble to pick it up so you can keep reading.

The Society of Villains series? That's my latest obsession. With Twisted Pawn coming in 2026, I'm diving even deeper into the dark side. These books are basically what happens when you take all those fairy tales we grew up with and let them play in traffic. My Dark Prince trilogy (written with the amazing Parker S. Huntington) is another example of how I love to take familiar stories and turn them inside out until they bleed.

My writing style? It's intense. Emotional. Sometimes brutal. I write the kind of angst that'll keep you up until 3 AM, cursing my name but unable to stop turning pages. My characters don't just fall in love - they crash into it, break themselves against it, and eventually find their way to something beautiful through all the chaos. (And yes, there will be plenty of steamy scenes along the way. I believe in earning those happy endings.)

When I'm not torturing characters (and readers), I'm probably annoying my family with random plot ideas or binge-watching true crime documentaries for "research." My husband has learned to live with the fact that I sometimes stop mid-conversation because a character just did something unexpected in my head. He's a saint. Really.

To my readers: you guys are everything. Your messages, your theories about what's coming next, your passionate debates about which of my villains is the most redeemable (spoiler: they're all terrible in the best way) - that's what keeps me going. Well, that and coffee. Lots of coffee.

If you're new to my books, buckle up. You're in for an emotional roller coaster with no safety bar. Expect complex characters who'll make you question your moral compass, chemistry that'll fog up your windows, and plots that'll keep you guessing until the very end. Fair warning: I don't do easy love stories. But I promise you'll get your happily ever after... eventually. After I've put everyone through hell first.

And to those who've been with me since the beginning? You beautiful enablers, you. Thanks for letting me push boundaries and break rules. Thanks for trusting me to take you down these dark paths. We're just getting started.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some characters to traumatize. These villains aren't going to write themselves, you know?

XOXO, L.J.