Book Review of Sparrow
Title: Sparrow
Series: Standalone Novel
Author: L.J. Shen
Date Published:March 8th 2016 (
Date Read: April 21, 2016
The Blurb:
Troy Brennan
Every Southie in Boston knows that name. The son of a dead mobster. The heart-throb with steel-blue eyes. "The Fixer" who can make or break you in this city.
Oh, and my new husband.
Sparrow Raynes
That's me. No one seemed to remember my name up until he barged into my life.
But then he caged me.
Kidnapped me.
And killed every chance I had to run away from the place where we grew up.
Put simply, Troy Brennan clipped my wings.
I have dreams, big ones, but I doubt he'll ever let me chase them. I have no idea why he decided to take me as his wife. But I do know this: pissing off this man will not do me any good. At all.
Sparrow is a standalone, full-length novel. It contains graphic violence and adult situations some may find offensive.
My Review
4.5 Red Stars
Fear is a prison, and in prison you played by different rules to survive.-Sparrow
*Spoilers*
"If you think you're going to give me trouble, think again. I invented trouble. I stir it, I mix it, I fucking fix it. Don't try my patience, because you'll discover I have absolutely none."-Troy
Oh WOW! I am kinda in shock right now. I finished this book yesterday at 3pm and I have been trying to digest my feelings ever since. I want to say that I just loved this book. Loved it! I am still kinda shocked how much I loved this book considering it has my main pet peeve deal breaker in it...... CHEATING!!! You heard that right this book has Cheating in it and I still loved it. Normally cheating ruins a book for me and gives me a case of the rants, but the way it was written and the circumstances I was able to forgive Troy. But for those of my friends that Cheating is also a deal breaker for them here is what happened so you don't get this book and get blindsided. Troy had a mistress named Cat before he got married who he had been with for years. He gets one BJ and has sex with her once, though the whole time he is having sex with her, he was pretending it's his wife and still couldn't get off. He ends up stopping during the sex and breaks it off with Cat for good. It was after him and Sparrow were married. At this point Sparrow and him have kisses like a few times and he had went down on Sparrow once. The reason I was able to over look this cheating is because even though they were married it was like they hadn't really started their relationship. They both hated each other and felt forced into the marriage. Even then Troy felt guilty. Sparrow didn't even feel deeply hurt by it more disrespected. That also helped had Sparrow been hurt badly by his cheating I would have had a harder time getting over it, if at all. And once he started having feelings for his wife he was faithful.
Oh WOW! I am kinda in shock right now. I finished this book yesterday at 3pm and I have been trying to digest my feelings ever since. I want to say that I just loved this book. Loved it! I am still kinda shocked how much I loved this book considering it has my main pet peeve deal breaker in it...... CHEATING!!! You heard that right this book has Cheating in it and I still loved it. Normally cheating ruins a book for me and gives me a case of the rants, but the way it was written and the circumstances I was able to forgive Troy. But for those of my friends that Cheating is also a deal breaker for them here is what happened so you don't get this book and get blindsided. Troy had a mistress named Cat before he got married who he had been with for years. He gets one BJ and has sex with her once, though the whole time he is having sex with her, he was pretending it's his wife and still couldn't get off. He ends up stopping during the sex and breaks it off with Cat for good. It was after him and Sparrow were married. At this point Sparrow and him have kisses like a few times and he had went down on Sparrow once. The reason I was able to over look this cheating is because even though they were married it was like they hadn't really started their relationship. They both hated each other and felt forced into the marriage. Even then Troy felt guilty. Sparrow didn't even feel deeply hurt by it more disrespected. That also helped had Sparrow been hurt badly by his cheating I would have had a harder time getting over it, if at all. And once he started having feelings for his wife he was faithful.
"I don't find you attractive." My voice was hoarse. A lie. "Say that to your pussy." He wasn't offended one bit. "My briefs are soaked, Mrs. Brennan."-Sparrow and Troy
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"Sparrow Brennan..." He tasted the name on his tongue, clucking it in approval. "One day I'm going to fuck your brains out, until you won't be able to walk the next day."-Troy
Troy was a complex character. I figured going into this that I would hate him for being a big asshole. But I never did. I was intrigued by him from the start. I may have hated some of the things he did but I always loved his character. He felt real. There was so many dimensions to him, that I always felt like I was learning something new. But he always stayed true to his character. He was always the mob bosses son, the fixer, the asshole. Never did he all of a sudden become this sappy pussy and I loved that. He was the perfect anti-hero. Even though he was an asshole he was a lovable asshole with charm. I could see how Sparrow fell in love with him. Sparrow was an amazing heroine. She was perfect for Troy. She didn't take Troy's or anyone else's crap. She was sassy, strong, brave, and a total fighter. She may have been in a marriage she didn't want, but she didn't let that stop her from living her life and demanding respect. I really loved Sparrow's attitude. She didn't fall apart and submit to a husband that had all the power and that everyone feared. She gave him hell at every turn.
"I know that you think that you rule me, own me, that you can destroy me. But I'm not scared. I'm not going to be pushed around by you or your staff. And I am not going to be touched by anyone without my permission."-Sparrow
Troy was a complex character. I figured going into this that I would hate him for being a big asshole. But I never did. I was intrigued by him from the start. I may have hated some of the things he did but I always loved his character. He felt real. There was so many dimensions to him, that I always felt like I was learning something new. But he always stayed true to his character. He was always the mob bosses son, the fixer, the asshole. Never did he all of a sudden become this sappy pussy and I loved that. He was the perfect anti-hero. Even though he was an asshole he was a lovable asshole with charm. I could see how Sparrow fell in love with him. Sparrow was an amazing heroine. She was perfect for Troy. She didn't take Troy's or anyone else's crap. She was sassy, strong, brave, and a total fighter. She may have been in a marriage she didn't want, but she didn't let that stop her from living her life and demanding respect. I really loved Sparrow's attitude. She didn't fall apart and submit to a husband that had all the power and that everyone feared. She gave him hell at every turn.
"I know that you think that you rule me, own me, that you can destroy me. But I'm not scared. I'm not going to be pushed around by you or your staff. And I am not going to be touched by anyone without my permission."-Sparrow
"Come near my wife again," I said, "and I'll show the world just how much of an angry motherfucker I can really be when someone touches what's mine."-Troy
I could totally feel Troy and Sparrows love. Their love wasn't rushed. The build up was strong and felt natural. Hate turning to love made for powerful passion. Sparrow had me hooked from the start. I didn't want to put it down, but I ended up having to. I had to leave and do something with my kids for like 4 hours and it drove me crazy. All I thought about was Troy and Sparrow. The second I got back home I had my kindle in hand to find out what happened next. This book did have some dark parts but I have read much darker books. The hardest thing to read in this book was about Paddy the man that molested Sparrow when she was 9 gloating to Troy about what he did to her. I wanted Troy to kill him almost as much as Troy wanted to kill him. I didn't like Brock from the start. I knew something was fishy with him. And Cat(Catalina the ex and mistress) was a skanky, pathetic , tramp and I wanted to beat the shit outta her. I felt sorry for her poor son Sam. I kinda thought this book would be more of a mob read but it wasn't. Troy wasn't a mobster he was a fixer for hire. This book was a hit with me. All the characters were well developed and realistic even the ones I didn't like. I thought the ending was great. Loved the HEA although I wish it would have been a little bit longer. This is my first time reading L.J. Shen but it won't be my last!
I could totally feel Troy and Sparrows love. Their love wasn't rushed. The build up was strong and felt natural. Hate turning to love made for powerful passion. Sparrow had me hooked from the start. I didn't want to put it down, but I ended up having to. I had to leave and do something with my kids for like 4 hours and it drove me crazy. All I thought about was Troy and Sparrow. The second I got back home I had my kindle in hand to find out what happened next. This book did have some dark parts but I have read much darker books. The hardest thing to read in this book was about Paddy the man that molested Sparrow when she was 9 gloating to Troy about what he did to her. I wanted Troy to kill him almost as much as Troy wanted to kill him. I didn't like Brock from the start. I knew something was fishy with him. And Cat(Catalina the ex and mistress) was a skanky, pathetic , tramp and I wanted to beat the shit outta her. I felt sorry for her poor son Sam. I kinda thought this book would be more of a mob read but it wasn't. Troy wasn't a mobster he was a fixer for hire. This book was a hit with me. All the characters were well developed and realistic even the ones I didn't like. I thought the ending was great. Loved the HEA although I wish it would have been a little bit longer. This is my first time reading L.J. Shen but it won't be my last!
“We didn’t make love, we made war. When she was pulling, I was biting. When she was scratching, digging her nails into my flesh, I slammed harder, faster. Our sex was furious, it was raw, untamed, wild…but it wasn't selfish”-Troy
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