Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

L.J. Shen gives us a dynamic story about a feisty, sassy heroine who comes off as innocent and naive and an anti-hero alpha male who has a reputation as "The Fixer" that no one dares to cross. This is my first book by Shen and I have to say that the writing is excellent. Her style is descriptive which makes you feel like your in the story and she seems to give just the right amount of details to keep you engaged without you losing interest. I will say that I enjoyed the banter between the hero and heroine. I liked that she stood up against him even though she was scared of what he was capable of. She kept her spine and didn't cower to every request. She realized he liked the situation just about as much as her and she couldn't figure out why he'd even go through this whole charade if he didn't want to be there. Sparrow Raynes is 22 years old and hasn't grown up with the best childhood. Her mother left when she was young and her dad worked for the mafia and was a drunk her whole life. She knows all about danger and the mafia because she grew up around it. She also grew up with the Hero - he's older than her but his reputation has always preceded him. He was the heir to the Irish mafia until his dad was murdered - Troy Brennan. After that, stories ran rampant about how he was going to avenge his father's death. And he may not be in the mafia, but she knew about his involvement in South Boston. He was loaded and still up to his neck in dirty deeds for the rich and famous in the city. He may look like a business man in suits but he really kept his hands dirty. Troy Brennan has many walls and layers to his character. There's the outside facade that everyone knows and fears or loathes. But as the story develops and we get to see more interactions with Sparrow or Red as he calls her, the walls start to come down and we get to see who he truly is underneath. The darkness always lingers within him, but there are glimpses of warmth and goodness that perhaps only Sparrow can see or bring forth. I seriously wanted to hate him because of what he was doing to Sparrow, but I secretly rooted for him and her to figure out their relationship and be happy. Both come from broken worlds and dark pasts - they both deserve their own version of happiness. The best thing about this couple is that while they are forced together unconventionally due to Troy's past and father's wishes, their relationship evolves slowly. Troy does shove them together into marriage quickly but he doesn't force them together physically. He pushes her and dares her to do things, but he warns her that he'll never touch her without permission. He lets her taunt him and argue with him which he finds enlightening. The push and pull of their relationship keeps you guessing and draws you deeper into the story. You can feel their connection growing and it makes you want to cheer them on. There were a few points in the story that were predictable. But there were also twists and turns that you never saw coming. Secrets - it's a big theme within this book and the consequences of keeping them. Throughout the book, we watch misunderstandings happen because something wasn't said. In the end, the characters go through something traumatic due to a secret one withheld. I love that its just not easily forgiven and it takes time to work through it. I love the epilogue - it gives the story a redeeming quality. And it truly lets us see the couple at their finest! Don't miss out on this book!