Sparrow by L.J. Shen-Blog Tour, Giveaway & Review

Title: Sparrow

Author: L.J. Shen

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Mafia

Published: March 8, 2016 

Troy Brennan. 

Every southie in Boston knows that name. The son of a dead mobster. The heartthrob with steel blue eyes. "The Fixer" who can make or break you in this city. 

Oh, and my new husband. 

Sparrow Raynes. 

No one seemed to remember my name up until he barged into my life. And me? All I ever wanted was to get a decent job and to run away from the damn neighborhood Brennan and I grew up in. Run away from him and his likes. 

I have dreams, big ones, but I doubt he'd ever let me chase them. I have no idea why Brennan, practically Bostonian royalty, decided to kidnap me, marry me and cage me in his beautiful penthouse. 

But I do know this: pissing off this man will not do me any good. At all.

Warning: This book contains graphic violence and adult situations some may find offensive.

Review by Liz
5 Awesome Stars

Troy is a mobster’s son, desperately searching for the people responsible for the murder of his father.

Sparrow has grown up knowing about Troy, but has been more than content keeping her distance

a!er hearing the horror stories that surround him.

The story begins on their wedding day. A couple of weeks before, Troy ripped Sparrow from her life

and informed her they were ge#ng married, but gave no reason why. She couldn’t refuse, as her Dad

works for him and her Mom le! years before. There is no one to help her not that anyone will argue

with Troy Brennen anyway.

This story intrigued me from the start, and I loved Sparrow. She was scared but refused to bow down.

Although she didn’t have a choice, she wasn’t about to make it easy for Troy. And I thoroughly

enjoyed the dialogue between them. It was very well wri)en. And I loved the way there rela*onship

+owed and evolved.

Troy is not the tradi*onal hero but I couldn’t help but like him. As I read on, it was great to discover

the many layers that make him the great character he is.

This is not a typical love story but its original and that for me made it refreshing. I loved every word

wri)en. Well done L.J. Shen and thank you for a great story.

Troy is a mobster’s son, desperately searching for the people responsible for the murder of his father. 
Sparrow has grown up knowing about Troy, but has been more than content keeping her distance after hearing the horror stories that surround him. 
The story begins on their wedding day. A couple of weeks before, Troy ripped Sparrow from her life and informed her they were getting married, but gave no reason why. She couldn’t refuse, as her Dad works for him and her Mom left years before. There is no one to help her not that anyone will argue with Troy Brennen anyway.
This story intrigued me from the start, and I loved Sparrow. She was scared but refused to bow down. Although she didn’t have a choice, she wasn’t about to make it easy for Troy. And I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue between them. It was very well written. And I loved the way there relationship flowed and evolved. 
Troy is not the traditional hero but I couldn’t help but like him. As I read on, it was great to discover the many layers that make him the great character he is. 

This is not a typical love story but its original and that for me made it refreshing. I loved every word written. Well done L.J. Shen and thank you for a great story. 

Troy is a mobster’s son, desperately searching for the people responsible for the murder of his father.

Sparrow has grown up knowing about Troy, but has been more than content keeping her distance

a!er hearing the horror stories that surround him.

The story begins on their wedding day. A couple of weeks before, Troy ripped Sparrow from her life

and informed her they were ge#ng married, but gave no reason why. She couldn’t refuse, as her Dad

works for him and her Mom le! years before. There is no one to help her not that anyone will argue

with Troy Brennen anyway.

This story intrigued me from the start, and I loved Sparrow. She was scared but refused to bow down.

Although she didn’t have a choice, she wasn’t about to make it easy for Troy. And I thoroughly

enjoyed the dialogue between them. It was very well wri)en. And I loved the way there rela*onship

+owed and evolved.

Troy is not the tradi*onal hero but I couldn’t help but like him. As I read on, it was great to discover

the many layers that make him the great character he is.

This is not a typical love story but its original and that for me made it refreshing. I loved every word

wri)en. Well done L.J. Shen and thank you for a great story.

“Just WOW. This story is will have you on the edge of your seat with every page. I could not get enough. I am left with one hell of a book hangover!” - Book Club Gone Wrong

“Now, with this new book I was in total awe. Sparrow had all the components I look for in a story and more.” - Wrapped Up In Reading

“Sparrow positively surprised me! This story was far better and definitely more complex and angsty than I’ve imagined it to be. I ate it all up.” - Smokin’ Hot Book Blog

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L.J. Shen resides in sunny California with her husband, son, chubby cat and wild, wild dreams.

Her passion is to write badass stories, sushi, UFC and her awesome family and friends (not in this order, though. Obviously, sushi comes before writing. Oh, and also the family part.)

She spend the first half of her twenties traveling the world and is now paying all the fun with extra shifts in front of her MacBook. Feel free to contact her on her Facebook page. She loves to hear from her readers.https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/

 

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Sliding Down the Sky by Amanda Dick-Cover Reveal

Release Date April 11th

Add to your goodreads shelf now

Callum Ferguson has grown up in the shadow of the sins of his father. The worst moment of his life came not at the age of sixteen, when he threw his father out of the house, but later in life, when he realised he was just like him. With a predilection for alcohol and violence, he sees his destiny every time he looks in the mirror.

Sass Hathaway, hell-raiser and successful musician, thrived in the limelight – until one night she lost it all. Drowning in an ocean of uncertainty, nursing a crippling case of self-loathing, her brother offers her a chance to find herself again.

His idea of salvation is a dilapidated bar. His proposal; she help him and his wife renovate and run it. However, when she and Callum cross paths, they both discover that salvation comes in many forms.

You can’t escape your past, you can only come to terms with it so that you can move on – but accepting your past is only the beginning. Then you must decide whether you’re strong enough to follow your heart.

(This can be read as a stand-alone, but reading ‘Absolution’ is recommended in order to get the most out of this story).   

Amanda Dick is a night-owl, coffee addict, movie buff and music lover. She loves to do DIY (if it's not bolted down, she'll probably paint it, re-cover it or otherwise decorate it) and has tried almost every craft known to man/womankind. She has two sewing machines and an over-locker she can't remember how to thread. She crochets (but can't follow a pattern), knits (badly) and refrains from both as a public service.

She believes in love at first sight, in women's intuition and in following your heart. She is rather partial to dark chocolate and believes in the power of a good vanilla latte.

What lights her fire is writing stories about real people in trying situations. Her passion is finding characters who are forced to test their boundaries. She is insanely curious about how we, as human beings, react when pushed to the edge. Most of all, she enjoys writing about human behaviour - love, loss, joy, grief, friendship and the complexity of relationships in general.

After living in Scotland for five years, she has now settled back home in New Zealand, where she lives with her husband and two children.

Her debut novel, "Absolution", was released on 29 October 2013 (with the second edition releasing on 6 January 2015). Her second novel, "Between Before and After", was released in May 2014. Her third novel, "Into the Void", is scheduled to release in July 2015.

Author Links

Web  Twitter  Facebook  Instagram  Goodreads  Amazon Page

Snared (A Jaded Regret Novel #2) by LL Collins-New Release Blitz & Review

Title: Snared

Author: L.L. Collins

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 Release Date: March 10, 2016

Blurb

BEAU has never known a good life, only the torment that lives inside his head every day. The only way to block out the darkness that shrouds him is through the rhythmic beat of his drums. Knowing what happens when he opens up to anyone, Beau buries his pain deep inside, keeping it all to himself. APRIL has lived a life of wealth and privilege, full of love and support. Her only insight into what it's like to have a rough life is through her work with foster children. When she meets Beau, it starts as a challenge to get through to him but quickly turns into much more than either of them bargained for.

TOGETHER, they are mismatched, ill-fated, and COMBUSTIBLE. But when their connection is challenged by the collision of past, present, and future, will they be snared by love...or circumstances?

ADD TO GOODREADS

Review by Jenny

5+ Heart-stopping Stars

Every book I read of author LL Collins, I say, "This is my fav book of hers!" Well........it's true!! Each book gets better & better! When I say this book is awesome, it's beyond anything I expected!! I knew Beau had a story from Sentenced but wow!! 

Beau is an amazing character! He's quiet, reserved, broken more than I've ever seen, strong, loving & very caring! My heart hurt for most of the book for him! I just wanted to jump in the book & hug him & his sister! 

April is the complete opposite of Beau! She's an awesome leading lady! She helped & pushed Beau to be better! 

Then is happened! The part of the book that I lost it in! You have to read it but wow!! So raw & real! Thinking about it makes me tear up! I just want to help him! 

The author did a fantastic job with these sensitive subjects! Mental illness is no joke & she did a great job showcasing it & shedding the right amount of light of the subject! Was it easy to read certain parts? Hell no, but it was REAL! It was RAW! It was phenomenal! 

I absolutely loved this book!! I love the end!! Beau & April are amazing but Robbie stole the show for me!! I fell in love with the broken little boy from the start!! I can't wait to read more of the Jaded Regret crew! 

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK

Excerpt

Tanner started his riff, Johnny and Bex coming in as Bex began to sing, effectively silencing the crowd. In between her notes I could hear shouts from exuberant fans. My head cleared and it was just me on this stage with the most amazing band I could have ever asked for.

It was my turn to come in and come in I did. I took it over, allowing the screams and shouts of my name to fuel me to drum harder, faster, longer. When my solo was over and Bex began singing again, the screams were still reverberating in my head.

Before I knew it, April and her dad were walking onto the stage as we finished up our tenth song. Sweat dripped off of my face and into my shirt, which looked like I’d taken a shower in it. Before I could stop myself, I stood up and met her halfway across the stage. I held up my drum sticks, which started a frenzy in the crowd. They knew what I was doing. They were seasoned groupies.

April’s eyes met mine as she realized I was walking up to her. That same charge traveled through my body. I handed her the drumsticks without saying a word. The crowd went insane. I could see many flashes as people took pictures, but it didn’t bother me. She beamed as she took the sticks from my hands, her fingers brushing mine. I almost jumped back at her touch but forced myself to take one step back instead.

“Did you see this?” April boomed into the microphone. “Beau just gave me his drumsticks! Who is jealous right now?” The crowd screamed, jumping up and down. She looked back over at me and beamed.

I was frozen behind her. I felt Bex, Johnny, and Tanner come up and stand behind us and I immediately relaxed.

“We wanted to take a moment to thank you for coming to this Jaded Regret concert to benefit Young Angels Children's Hospital, which you can see behind us. Because of all of your generosity, not only will we get to complete the next phase, but we will also get to help many foster kids that have aged out of the system but still need assistance. Thanks to Bexley Bryant-Gibbons, we’ll be assisting her in funding an assisted living facility here in Orlando for kids who have aged out of the system. It will help them with finding jobs, giving them life skills, and help them have a safe and low cost place to live.”

Bex stepped up next to April. “Thank you, Orlando,” she said, her voice gruff through her headset. “Most of you know that I have a special place in my heart for kids in the foster care system, especially those who never got to have families and aged out of the system. It’s my goal to help those that need it and get more kids families.” The crowd screamed and jumped up and down. Bex looked back at me for just a second, but I knew what the look meant. For kids like us who had no one. “Now who’s ready to rock?”

Bex nodded at us and we turned to go back to our respective places.

April put her hand on my arm before I could get too far from her. “Thank you,” she whispered into my ear. “I’ll keep them forever.” I allowed a small smile to play on my lips before turning away from her. I grabbed a new pair of drumsticks and watched as she exited the stage. She turned back and stood, watching me the entire time again.

I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I could still feel where she’d touched me on my arm.

Author Bio

L.L. Collins loves spending her days in the Florida sun with her husband and two boys, reading, and writing. LL has been writing since she was old enough to write. Always a story in her head, she finally decided to let the characters out made her lifelong dream of becoming an author come true in the self-publishing world. She's the author of the Living Again Series and the Twisted Series, plus a new standalone, Back to the Drawing Board. Visit LL on her website, www.llcollinsauthor.com and on all social media. Look for more of her emotionally charged novels soon!

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Giveaway

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Sparrow by L.J. Shen-New Release Blitz, Playlist & Giveaway

Title: Sparrow

Author: L.J. Shen

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Mafia

Release Date: March 8, 2016 

Troy Brennan. 

Every southie in Boston knows that name. The son of a dead mobster. The heartthrob with steel blue eyes. "The Fixer" who can make or break you in this city. 

Oh, and my new husband. 

Sparrow Raynes. 

No one seemed to remember my name up until he barged into my life. And me? All I ever wanted was to get a decent job and to run away from the damn neighborhood Brennan and I grew up in. Run away from him and his likes. 

I have dreams, big ones, but I doubt he'd ever let me chase them. I have no idea why Brennan, practically Bostonian royalty, decided to kidnap me, marry me and cage me in his beautiful penthouse. 

But I do know this: pissing off this man will not do me any good. At all.

Warning: This book contains graphic violence and adult situations some may find offensive.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE RELEASE PARTY

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L.J. Shen resides in sunny California with her husband, son, chubby cat and wild, wild dreams. Her passion is to write badass stories, sushi, UFC and her awesome family and friends (not in this order, though. Obviously, sushi comes before writing. Oh, and also the family part.) She spend the first half of her twenties traveling the world and is now paying all the fun with extra shifts in front of her MacBook. Feel free to contact her on her Facebook page. She loves to hear from her readers.https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/

 

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