SOLVED. Young Adult Fantasy with a character named Julian and it involves a shop he manages. [s]

[Margaux Kristel]

This is vague, I know, but I really need anyone’s help with a young adult book I read in my university’s library. It’s about a girl who stumbles into a shop full of magical and forbidden items managed by a handsome owner and I think his name is Julian because this guy became a fantasy of mine. Anyway, he sells her this item that’s like a board game so this girl can play it with her friends and her boyfriend. As they play, they get sucked into the game and it becomes so real and dangerous and there are moments where Julian flirts with the girl as she plays the game.
I want to know because I hope to read it again someday.

It’s vague, I’m sorry, but that’s all I can remember from reading it last 2013.

[Kat]

The Forbidden Game trilogy by L.J. Smith.

It's available as a single book now, but was originally published in the 90s as three separate books:
The Hunter
The Chase
The Kill

Happy re-reading!

[Margaux Kristel]

Kat, you are a gift! I am so grateful!!! Thank you 😭😭😭😭

This group is amazing. And you’re amazing, Kat!

[Margaux Kristel]

I don’t know how to retag this as SOLVED but this is SOLVED

Much love for this group and all fellow bookworms.

[Kat]

Happy to help! Weirdly enough, this is the second time (that I'm aware of) that this book/series has popped up here in the past few months.