Thursday, April 3, 2014

Mini Reviews: First Ink & Shattered Ink (Wicked Ink Chronicles #1 & #2) Ink by Laura Wright



New Adult Contemporary Romance
Published September 22nd 2013



Rush 
Women in his bed, celebs and rockers in his chair and a killer bank account at his disposal, life is pretty freaking swell. Then she walks back into it again. With her mismatched eyes, perfect pink mouth and a laugh that still haunts him, she gave him nothing but marvelous misery. Now she wants his hands on her again. Not for pleasure, but for pain. For Ink. A bleeding heart to match the one she left him with five years ago. 

Addison 
She can’t forget him. No matter how hard she’s tried. The pain she caused him in the past eats at her daily, and she can’t move on with her life. But she has a plan, a hope for redemption – a way for him to take his revenge out on her flesh. But it’ll only work if he lets her inside his exclusive world, under his famous artist’s needle and into his bed—and heart-once again.



My Review:

It's no secret that I love tattoos. You can look at me and tell that and if I could afford to I would probably be covered from feet to forehead with them. First Ink combined my love of body art with my extreme adoration for Second Chance romance stories. This was exactly what I needed when I needed it. A quick story with sexy romance and great characters.

At a Las Vegas tattoo convention, Addison is hoping to get some chair time with the one that got away. She's there to apologize to him for something that happened in High school that broke them up and left them both with bleeding hearts. Rush is less than thrilled to see her but the only way he'll listen to what she has to say is if she agrees to let him ink her virgin skin. Surrounded by several hundred people there to see Rush in person they don't really get a chance to hash everything out and take their meeting to his shop Wicked Ink. But being in closed quarters again after all these years and the simmering feelings that never went away leads to an explosive reunion that leaves them both questioning where to go from there.

There are no words adequate enough to describe how amazing this little story was. Maybe it's my bias for this particular trope but the story of Rush and Addison worked so damn well for me. Rush the sexy tattoo artist with a wounded soul because the love of his life broke his heart was irresistible. After a discussion with my friend a few days ago we both came to the realization that hot tattoo artists only exist in books from our experiences. If a guy as magnetic as Rush was doing my tats I would make up an excuse to get him to tattoo my velvet glove. He's very primal and his dominating presence made for delicious scenes with Addison but you can tell he uses that as a shield to die his softer side. Not soft enough to catch a dropped egg but soft enough to believe he's sincere when he confesses his feelings. Addison had the biggest balls for a female character and I absolutely loved that she was willing to put her fears aside to makes amends with Rush. She wasn't a pushover by any means the way she handled Rush and made sure he listened to what she had to say and did whatever it took to earn his forgiveness. Her honesty and willingness to expose her underbelly to Rush even with the chance that he could reject her showed major character development despite the fact that these are serial novellas.

There were so many things working together to make this story great but the main thing I loved was the writing and the character's voices. Rush and Addison were so real and down to earth the way they were penned it really drew me into their persona to experience what they felt and connect with them. Wright has a way with words and the dialogue from each character was hilarious and very descriptive making it easy to imagine the scenarios. Not to mention the very steeeamy sex scenes were superbly written as well. There are a lot of hot books out there and sometimes you get desensitized by all the sex flooding the market but First Ink was unique in it's delivery of the sexy times that it totally got me worked up and excited.The heat, the romance and the connection between Rush and Addison was just a fantastically wrapped package full of awesome that did it for me on so many levels. You should definitely read these if you love quick, sexy reads about tattooed hotties with wicked hot bedroom skills and a amazing personalities.


Quotes:

He was addictive. Like sugar. Like horror movies. Sometimes after we’d have sex I’d just lie there and stare at him, tell myself over and over that he was mine. That this gorgeous, talented boy belonged to me, wanted me, loved me. Kindle 26%

I want her to feel pain. Especially the kind that doesn't come from my needle. The kind that lasts years and refuses to let go of your soul no matter how hard you try, no matter how many women you fuck. Kindle 42%

As he slips a hand beneath me and plays gently, erotically with my nipple, I close my eyes and sigh . It’s done. I’m done. Forever. I swear, to whoever is up there directing traffic, this guy owns me. My heart, my body, every cell. Kindle 72%


New Adult Contemporary Romance
Published October 15th 2013


Addison 
She is totally and utterly in love. She can’t focus, can’t sleep. She doesn’t want to hang out with friends, doesn’t even care if she graduates from college in a week. All she wants is Rush, and her obsession for him is scaring her. Unable to handle the fear that brings up ugly memories of being abandoned as a child, Addison withdraws to protect herself. But that may backfire when an old flame of Rush's reappears in his life. 

Rush 
Addison is the only woman he wants in his bed. Hell, he’s inked her name into his skin, and he plans on asking her to move in with him. Problem is, she’s acting like she doesn’t feel the same way about him. It’s like something’s changed between them. And when an old girlfriend comes back into the picture – stirring up memories and fears about his past – Rush knows that if he and Addison are ever going to have a chance at happiness, it’s time to shatter the walls between them once and for all.


My Review:

I got about 75% into First Ink and knew I would be reading Shattered Ink so I went right to Amazon and bought it. As soon as the last page of it was finished I dove right into this one. Once Rush and Addison get past all the hurt and pain they experienced their first time around they now are trying to work out their relationship from a distance. Addison is back in California going to school and Rush is in Vegas with his tattoo shop. For five weeks they have seen each other whenever their schedules permit with Addison flying back and forth on Rush's dime just to be together. For now it's enough but both are struggling with wanting more but not wanting to push the other into something too quickly. They may have gotten their past together out of the way but someone from Rush's past adds another element they have to work through.

Once again I absolutely loved this novella as much as the first. I loved seeing Rush and Addison again and now that they have proclaimed their undying affection for one another we get more happy and sexy times from them. They are slowly navigating this new relationship and committed to making the distant work for them. These two were miserable without each other both pining and mopey that the people around them became a little disillusioned about it. Addison's best friend Lisa does her best to get her out of her sweatpants and have a good time to no avail and Rush's friend Vincent tries to talk him out of a huge decision he calls "The Kiss Of Death". I was glad to see the two supporting characters more in this book. Lisa and Vincent had a brief encounter while Lisa was looking for Addison and the mystery surrounding that situation is giving me tingles.

Shattered Ink was a great addition to the Wicked Ink Chronicles serials and I'm looking forward to what the next set of characters bring to the canvas. If Rush and Addison are any indication of what's to come then I need to stock up on panty liners because it promises to be just as wickedly sexy as the first two. I'm on a tattoo kick right now and Wicked Ink is probably one of my favorites in the genre so do yourselves a favor and start reading because you'll love these. I know it.


Quotes:

I don’t want him to walk away from me— or shit, run —because this time , it’s not just love that would be lost. It'd be my heart, my breath… my sanity. Kindle 7%

I use my thumbs to spread her wide, then lap her up like ice cream. She tastes like fucking sunshine and I devour her. Kindle 52%


“When I’m with you I’m crazy happy. Like, nuts happy . Like I can breathe and chill and focus. But when I’m back there, when I’m home, without you, life just completely sucks . Seriously , it’s orange sweatpants and sad movies, pining all night instead of studying, and being an utterly craptastic friend. I’m lost.” I shrug. “I’m addicted. To you. To us.” Kindle 86%




New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Laura Wright is passionate about romantic fiction. Though she has spent most of her life immersed in acting, singing and competitive ballroom dancing, when she found the world of writing and books and endless cups of coffee she knew she was home. Laura is the author of the bestselling Mark of the Vampire series and the USA Today bestselling series, Bayou Heat, which she co-authors with Alexandra Ivy. Laura lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two young children and three loveable dogs.

Links:
AUTHOR AMAZON PAGE

First Ink is currently FREE with Shattered Ink priced at only .99 cents! These are so good you can't pass up that price!










2 comments:

  1. I want to read this ASAP! You know I love my tattoos. And second chance romances! Great reviews!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so glad we both loved these! #Cleftytimes

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