Troy BrennanEvery 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. … 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 an Amazon international bestseller.
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OMG Troy just ruined me for another bad boy alpha!
Force in a marriage, Sparrow have to face Troy, the Irish mafia heir. The feisty full of sass heroin meet alpha no nonsense anti hero. What can be wrong with this couple? None! I tell you that. The author write beutifully with this book. I love how she put their dynamic. Love how violance she create Troy. No hold barrel here. He is that bad! No bed of roses here. Captivated from the first page, Sparrow definitly delicious dark, sexy, page turner read you must have!
5 Love Bird Stars!! A must read! The story was absolutely amazing. You will fall in love with the arse of a man Troy Brennan is, which is why you will not be able to put it down. Strong heroine makes for a fabulous read knowing she’s giving as good as she gets if not better. Highly recommended.
This book is a bit darker than what I normally read but it hooked me from the start and I couldn’t put it down! It was like a drug…I was so close to skipping to the back because I just had to know what happened yet it was too delicious not to take my time and enjoy. What great writing!
This was one of my top reads for 2016..the twist and turns of the story kept me turning the pages. I could feel the characters feelings. Will read more by this author.
The story of Troy and Sparrow was amazing! Only a talented author can write in a way that makes you hate and distrust a male character in the beginning, and by the end feel like he is Prince Charming. On the other hand, also writing a female character that by all accounts should be weak and broken, into a completely bad ass little tornado. Surprised by the way the story unwrapped like a big, unexpected present. You are left wondering how in the world she did it by the time you read “The End”. You will not be able to put this down.
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
I stayed up until 3am reading this book. I had to find out how it was going to end. I did pass out with only 62 pages to go, but I woke up 6 hours later and finished it. Holy moly cow this book is soooooo awesome. I dare say I have a slight girl cush on Sparrow. I loved waching her grow throughout the story. Poor girl, her fate was sealed at a young age and she was clueless. Sparrow is a simple girl, not easily distracted by something shiny. She just wants to cook pancakes and help out the homeless!
“My love for Troy Brennan wasn’t romantic or sweet—it was violent and needy.”
Now Troy, oh you horrible man you. I wanted to bust a cap in yo ass. You are not a good guy. Like, at all. But then around 2:15am I started loving you a wee bit more and only wanted to smack you upside the head instead, so that’s progess, yes? By the end, I wanted a group hug!! Bring it in you two!
“My monster, my capturer, my corrupter. My lover.”
I would love to read more about these two. This whole Irish mob thing is no joke!
This is my first book by this author and it will not be my last. So, so good.
It’s a chokehold kinda story.
A sparrow is locked in a cage and her wings clipped, she falls in love her captor.
But the wings grow back ,and the sparrow can escape again !
How far would you fly if you left your heart in the cage ?
Troy Brennan is a deadly venomous South from Boston mafia on a warpath. He’s looking for his Father – Cillian Brennan’s killers and he honours his dead fathers wishes to marry Sparrow Raynes. At first it’s business then they start getting under each other’s skins and what happens next is shocking.
It’s another fantastically written racy story from Leigh Shen . It just took me by storm from page 1. Sexy hot, fiercely passionate and scarily violent. Tighten your seat belts and get ready for the ride!!!
What a riveting love story. Going in I wasn’t too sure what to expect, however I got much more than I bargained for in this novel. There were some twists I did not see coming, lots of sexy scenes and quite a bit of action. The main characters were both strong-willed individuals which was obvious from the beginning. I was expecting Troy to walk all over Sparrow, the fact that she did not let him do so, was what held my interest until the very end of this novel. The push and pull between these two was amusing at times and it was fascinating to see how everything unfolded, seeing how hate turned into passion and then in love. Sparrow was an excellent read.
Loved it! I read this book several years ago and was my first by this author. I was remiss in not leaving a review until now. I loved this book. The characters were original and well developed with an unusual and wonderful connection. Terrific storyline with great secondary characters. I am a huge fan of this author.
Oh wow…..this book is nothing like what I expected. It was so much more than that!! This book was absolutely phenomenal!! Definitely not your typical mob romance novel. Troy and Sparrow’s story was extremely romantic, in not a typical way. They obviously have a huge dislike for one another, with Sparrow’s reasoning more apparent than Troy’s. He makes Sparrow feel things that she doesn’t feel like she should, and well Troy….what can we say about him? Definitely an alpha male personality, who is used to getting his way….and not being challenged by others. Which is exactly what Sparrow does to him. Along the way, they develop real feelings for each other…..yet Troy’s secrets that end up being revealed cause some major heartbreak (more so for Sparrow, yet Troy shows his regret and shame for what his past does to them). LJ does an amazing job of leaving little crumbs for you to find, in order to connect the dots as to the connection between the characters. And in the beginning, I totally thought it was going to go one way…..then it went another. Beautiful storytelling as always from this author!!
I loved this book. Sparrow is kidnapped and forced to marry a man she doesn’t love, she doesn’t even know him. Turns out her new husband is mobster Troy Brennan. He isn’t a nice man (obviously) and he’s used to having people bow down to him. Sparrow isn’t bowing down to anyone and i loved her spunky attitude. The sparks really do fly between the two characters, the chemistry is off the charts and i loved the love/hate thing they have going on between them. This was my first book by L.J Shen but between finishing Sparrow and writing this, i have read her other book (totally different but brilliant) and I’ll definitely be buying anything else she brings out.
SPOILERS ALERT……
wow!!!! I’ve read this book, i don’t know how many times.. Sparrow the daughter of a man who worked for Troy’s father and now is forced to married him because Troy made a promise to his dad that one day he will do right to her…
I love sparrow!! she is an amazing heroine, not only she is strong but she doesn’t take any S… from Troy. i like how she always stands up to him or anybody who gives her S……. Sparrow has been surrounded by mafia since her childhood, she knows all about it because she was always surrounded by them so in a way her strong attitude to Troy is because of her upbringing and surroundings…
Troy has been plotting to find and kill the last guy on his list, the one who took his father life … he doesn’t know who he is but still he is on the search for his revenge… he won’t stop at anything to find the guy but nothing have prepare him to finally found the last name on his list… you will never guess who the killer is…
What i love about the story is, the love and hate relationship between Troy and Sparrow.. not only you can see how slowly they start to fall for each other but is also beautiful to see how their love “survived” in a way everything and anybody that was trying to sabotage them.. including the sometimes not so nice behavior Troys has with her… i love how she doesn’t gets blinded by Troys money or gifts.. she is a proud woman that won’t take anything for granted and is fighting to make her dream come true .. a business that makes her famous and delicious pancakes…
the story has twist and is suspenseful but also has the great dose of “romance” love and hate between the character.. one of my favorite parts of the book is SPOILER>>>>>> when sparrow confronts Troys after he cheated on her in their room with another woman. I love how assertive she was.. how she said what she had to said .. Troy loves how she always stands to him and doesn’t take any crap from him it is one of the things that makes him fall for her..
i can write on and on how much i love this book.. sparrow has become one of my favorites…
The first book I’ve read from L.J Shen was Vicious and I have to say, since then i have become a huge fan of L.J Shen .. it’s really hard to find the type of writers that i can connect with .. I read a lot of books a week and it is hard to find someone that i click .. L.J Shen books and writing have become and made my favorite list .. i’m so happy i found her, i’m so happy i read Vicious because after that, i didn’t wait to read every book of Ms Shen. I can say; Vicious, Defy, Rukus, Sparrow, Tyed and Blood to Dust.. ALL of them are amazing!!! .. if you want to read great stories, with great heroines and great characters.. get Sparrow or any book by L.J Shen…
Oh. Em. Gee!
Writing this review is a bit difficult because there are so many ways (long and short) to urge you, implore you to read this book! This book is unbelievably good.
Sparrow was dark, it was hopeful, it was sad, happy and just amazing!
You have two people thrown together by the mistakes/choices others made.
A girl, a survivor. When all odds were against her she prevailed. She gave as good as she got.
A man who has carved his way into the dark world he rules.
Can love grow where resentments seed was already planted? Can the good girl teach the bad guy change? Grab yourself a copy of Sparrow you do NOT wanna miss this!
Sparrow by L.J. Shen
5 Outstandingly Good Stars
I love discovering (new to me) authors and L.J. Shen has now been added to my list of favorites.
I absolutely loved this book and was hooked from page one. This is a complete story with NO cliffhanger. The synopsis lured me in and the story completely consumed me from beginning to end. This is the kind of book that I just flove, the one’s that just sucks you right in from the very beginning, holds you until that very end. Troy and Sparrow’s story is so freaking good!!! I am in awe over the whole story and highly recommend this book. This is so re-read worthy! The writing is amazingly smooth. This is how writing is done. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!
Happy Reading Everyone!!
very funny but very good storyline!!!!
Wow! I can see why this book is so popular. The relationship makes no sense, but somehow, it totally works. The symbolism and all the change the characters go through is amazing. Sparrow only got stronger despite everything around her trying to break her down. Troy found his heart under all the steel he covered himself with and out of all the chaos, they made a good life for themselves and Sam. Good things can definitely come from bad situations. I could read this book 100 times and never get tired. Definitely recommend you read it of you want something sassy, suspenseful and heart-jerking. It’ll pull your emotions in every which way.
Sparrow:
L.J. Shen
This book is EVERYTHING. It started my mafia obsession and it is safe to say… the obsession has gotten worse.
Troy Brennan is the baddest. He is vicious, cruel, violent, and unapologetic. Sparrow Raynes is a fucking badass. She is tough, smart, and an incredible heroine. She is sassy and takes absolutely no shit. She knows her worth.
Sparrow is a good slow burn, even though there is attraction between the two of them—it takes a while for both of them to give in. The two of them just work together so well. They’re made for one another. Sparrow was made to humble him, to show him that being human doesn’t mean weakness.
Sparrow is a mix of steam, romance, action, and suspense. Plus, I met the love of my life—Sam Brennan.
One of my all time favorites. Please read this if you haven’t.
Loved it !
Did a quick reread of this book ! Sooo good ! Sparrow and Troy’s chemistry was amazing and seeing Sam as a kid my heart broke for him . Just as the first time I read this story I couldn’t put it down from beginning till end! I loved getting to see these two at the beginning of their love it was intense passionate and everything I love about a LJ Shen book ! Phenomenal read !
Sparrow is a shy girl from Southie, the daughter of an alcoholic thief whose mother left them long ago. All she wants out of life is to get away from where she grew up after having felt trapped all these years and at twenty-two, she’s getting closer to achieving that dream until Troy Brennan comes into her life. He’s the infamous son of a murdered Irish mob boss said to be seeking revenge. Troy’s not in the organization himself but he’s made himself a living fixing problems for anyone who can afford his pricey services. The book opens with Sparrow having been kidnapped and being forced to marry Brennan so she loathes him.
“Dear future wife…” He smirked in a way that made me want to beg for mercy. “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.”
His reputation precedes him and he makes it clear she has no choice, so she’s terrified but her anger eventually wins out. Brennan’s all cold indifference and cruelty so he expects her to cower but Sparrow shocks them both. Her ire only increases with his awful behavior and she’s determined to make him every bit as unhappy as he’s made her. We learn that Troy’s not a willing partner in this arrangement either and he resents Sparrow despite her being just as against it. They why for the marriage isn’t revealed until close to the end and I think the story could’ve been better if those details were shared earlier but I still love this story.
I offered him a sly smile. “Aw, I’m hurt. Are you saying I’m no fun?”
“I’m saying if I can’t eat it, fuck it or kill it I have no interest in it,” he answered drily.
Sparrow makes it her mission to fight Troy every step of the way and he’s incensed because nobody’s ever dared to stand up to him before. As much as she irritates him, he’s also intrigued by her because they’re so different. He’s a complete asshole but eventually we start to see elements of humanity in Troy as he makes it clear he would never touch her without her consent. It later becomes apparent that he wants her to grow and be happy but it took time to see since he’s not one for pep talks or long conversations explaining his feelings. There’s an attraction that Sparrow wants to fight but she eventually gives in, somewhat out of spite.
Troy is a damaged person and extremely dark character, but we see goodness in him where it counts as he realizes he’s falling in love. There’s a whole thing going on with a bad guy that I find totally distracting so I wish it wasn’t there. It’s impossible to elaborate without giving a huge spoiler but this subplot ramps up near the end and is just wasted on me. These characters and their attraction to one another are complex enough to carry the story without the other stuff so I wish those words had been used to explore the MCs more but again, this is still a great story.
“Troy was equipped with something resembling a semi-automatic weapon, and even though his cock was the first I had ever seen, I had a feeling it wasn’t a modest, fun-sized one.”
Their chemistry is non-existent at first because there’s only loathing and resentment but the mutual attraction grows as they get to know each other and things heat up. One of my favorite things about this book is that although it’s a standalone, it spawned the Boston Belles series, which I adore. The MCs of Boston Belles are the next generation from Sparrow and I love that. It’s fun to see some of these characters a couple of decades later and learn what their lives have been like.
“He gave me lies, and I ate them from the palm of his hand. He gave me lies, and for him, I closed my eyes.”
LJ Shen definitely knows how to write addictive romance, and this continued in this dark arranged marriage romance.
Arranged Marriage / Age Gap / Dark Romance
This story follows Sparrow. A 22 year old daughter to an alcoholic in the irish mob and a mother who disappeared before she could walk. Sparrow is a fiery red head who only wants to stay out of the dangerous world her father is in, settle down and cook for her family. Until her father promises her to his boss, early thirties head mobster; Troy Brennan.
Being an arranged marriage, Sparrow has no desire in Troy. If anything, she hates him and all he represents. But she still finds herself wanting to get to know the real him, and she especially can’t deny their lust connection.
Troy Brennan only chose to marry Sparrow due a secret thanks to his father. He didn’t expect to feel like he could care about her, and especially enjoy her fiery stubborn side.
As Sparrow & Troy try to work each other out, secrets from their mobster fathers pasts come alay. With more foes then friends, it is a game of who to trust and who to kill in this dark mobster world.
I enjoyed the mysteries, and I enjoyed the ending and how it came apart. I just wish Troy opened him up sooner to Sparrow so we could have gotten a little more romance. But then again, he is a Mobster.
4/5 stars, with 3/5 steam.