My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Our Violent Ends

Author: Chloe Gong

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 494

Publication Date: 11/16/21

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Categories: Young Adult, Gangster, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Forbidden Love

Shanghai is under siege in this captivating and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”

The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.

Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

Content Warning: Death, Violence, Whipping

I finished off this duology series – yay to me! And what a series it is.

I feel like retellings can be overdone and Romeo and Juliet is a tale as old as time, or it feels like that, but this whole duology is fresh and such a good way to keep Romeo and Juliet modern.

I love Juliette – she’s still cutthroat and has no F’s to give, especially if someone is messing with her man, Roma. She knows herself, she is comfortable around violence and also feels good dealing it out. Roma is trying to kill her, but we know he can never do that, these two are crazy in love with one another. They just have to decide once and for all if it’s them against one another or them against the world. But we all know what end game is in Romeo and Juliet, so obviously there is no questions to Juliette and Roma’s love.

Now the confession I was waiting for finally happened and it melted me. Benedikt and Marshall was the best. This book had a great forbidden love theme going on, in honor of Romeo and Juliet I’m sure, but it was wonderful because we had Benedikt and Marshall in agony too. Yes, to fighting for love because it’s worth it.

All the other characters were great as usual and the civil war erupting around them upped the stakes and drama. I love how tension was happening altogether in each faction: between the lovers, the city, and the gangs. It was well done.

Now my only problem with this story? I got confused with the Kathleen/Celia thing – I didn’t reread book one and so when Celine popped up, I was like WHO?! 😅 🤦🏻‍♀️ Also I kind of wanted more from Roma? I mean we know who runs this show though, Juliette.

Why you should read it:

• romeo and juliet retelling, set in Shanghai 1927, gangs, forbidden love
• Juliette and Roma are end-game obviously, but ugh Benedikt and Marshall melted me
• great action, tension and conflict to the end

Why you might not want to read it:

• you know the ending of Romeo and Juliet? lol…well this one was just a tad different and kinda open ended but if you don’t like those kinds of endings, you may not like this one

My Thoughts:

What a wonderful conclusion to this duology! Honestly, the series as a whole is fresh, full of action, has angsty forbidden love and a great cast of characters. I think this was a unique take on Romeo and Juliet and the writing just flowed so well. I look forward to reading this author’s next book!

📚 ~ Yolanda

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Quotes from the Book:

“These violent delights have violent ends, you have always known this.” 

― Chloe Gong, Our Violent Ends

“I’ll say it however many times you want. I’ll romance you until you get sick of me. I am horrendously in love with your dreadful face, and we need to go now.”

― Chloe Gong, Our Violent Ends

“They had always been two mirrored souls, the only ones who understood the other in a city that wanted to consume them whole, and now they were joined, mightier when together.” 

― Chloe Gong, Our Violent Ends