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Ink
Roman centurion Dominic drew his last human breath during the time of Hadrian. In the centuries since, he’s seen much of the world change around him, but the vampire finds himself held captive in Melbourne, Australia, by his fascination with young, passionate, fun-loving, and alive tattoo artist Michael Chapman. Unable to resist the lure of Michael’s beauty, Dominic finds himself entering the parlor to get a tattoo he knows will fade.
The attraction he feels only grows, and despite Dominic’s extreme reluctance to get involved with a human, he and Michael form a bond—a connection that all too soon attracts the attention of a dark specter from Dominic’s bloody past. Soon, a dangerous game of cat and mouse threatens not only the budding romance, but also their humanity.
This is an expanded novel based on the novella Ink originally published in the Desire Beyond Death anthology by Dreamspinner Press.
The attraction he feels only grows, and despite Dominic’s extreme reluctance to get involved with a human, he and Michael form a bond—a connection that all too soon attracts the attention of a dark specter from Dominic’s bloody past. Soon, a dangerous game of cat and mouse threatens not only the budding romance, but also their humanity.
This is an expanded novel based on the novella Ink originally published in the Desire Beyond Death anthology by Dreamspinner Press.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2011
8 people are currently reading
610 people want to read
About the author
Isabelle Rowan
19 books171 followersA black cat for a witch may be a cliché, but add a whole bunch of tribal tattoos and an intolerance to garlic (seriously), and you have Isabelle Rowan.
Having moved to Australia from England as a small child, Isabelle now lives in a seaside suburb of Melbourne where she teaches film making and English. She is a movie addict who spends far too much money on traveling… but then again, life is to be lived.
Visit Isabelle's blog at http://www.isabellerowan.com/blog.html
Having moved to Australia from England as a small child, Isabelle now lives in a seaside suburb of Melbourne where she teaches film making and English. She is a movie addict who spends far too much money on traveling… but then again, life is to be lived.
Visit Isabelle's blog at http://www.isabellerowan.com/blog.html
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 26, 2014
not bad. paced more slowly than i'd like, given the familiar material.
dnf at 15 percent, though that cover remains outrageously effective.
dnf at 15 percent, though that cover remains outrageously effective.
July 1, 2016
Dominic is tired, old and alone; weary of his existence to the point of withdrawing from any human contact…except to feed.
It's been a while since he’s had a lover, one that touched him as much as the one from his past. For a reason not entirely clear to the reader, Dominic finds himself watching Ink every night, a tattoo shop emanating smells of blood and sweat that draw him and where he spots Michael, a young tattoo artist that stirs something in the ancient man that he has not enjoyed in a long time - something he has attempted to avoid over the many decades.
Michael is a young tattoo artist at Ink. He’s handsome, witty and insightful, yet somewhat aloof in his youthful grace. When a mysterious and alluring man comes into the tattoo shop one evening as it's ready to close and asks for a tattoo, Michael quickly volunteers to “ink” the man. He is intrigued by the mysterious, brooding man.
But Dominic – the customer - erases the experience from Michael's memory. However, Dominic returns several nights later for a tattoo that disappears by the next day.
Michael feels drawn to the mysterious man for reasons he cannot explain, or understand. He stalks Dominic, spying on him, inexplicably drawn to the man - a pull beyond his understanding. But Dominic will have none of Michael. He discourages Michael, even pushes the young man away with powerful impulses of his mind.
Dominic chooses to end his "life", not wanting to bring any harm Michael. Michael still feels compelled to look for the man he’s feels drawn to, romantically and physically - to seek the man out, to understand his feelings, determine once and for all if there is any possibly of a relationship with Dominic.
Michael locates Dominic and excitement turns to fear as he realizes Dominic is dying, possibly dead. In a desperate attempt to revive the vampire, Michael shares his blood with the man and curls beside him in bed.
Through the first half of the novel, Dominic seems to do everything
he can to push Michael away, but the pull is too strong and soon, Dominic gives into his desires, only to attract the attention of his “maker”.
And all is not well when Dominic's maker senses a chance to reclaim
his "son", and interfere with Michael's newfound love affair - the man's very existence and that of his close friends, is suddenly in danger.
Ink is a dark, at times gothic, at times mushy, romantic tale of angst, fear and discovery, of an ancient vampire's loss of hope and desire - a m/m romance with strong characters and plot; the writing is very good, save for a few references to modern pop culture that appeared odd. The novel builds very slow and deliberate until Dominic and Michael are finally joined as lovers, only to meet a fate stronger than either of them could have imagined.
Isabelle Rowan has created a very gratifying m/m love story – and thriller (the part I loved most toward the end!); a novel between opposite men, unlikely lovers – men destined to meet in this lifetime (or perhaps the next.)
The story drags at some points in the beginning, but pushing forth to the thriller portion of the last fifty pages or so are well worth the wait.
A very enjoyable read indeed!
It's been a while since he’s had a lover, one that touched him as much as the one from his past. For a reason not entirely clear to the reader, Dominic finds himself watching Ink every night, a tattoo shop emanating smells of blood and sweat that draw him and where he spots Michael, a young tattoo artist that stirs something in the ancient man that he has not enjoyed in a long time - something he has attempted to avoid over the many decades.
Michael is a young tattoo artist at Ink. He’s handsome, witty and insightful, yet somewhat aloof in his youthful grace. When a mysterious and alluring man comes into the tattoo shop one evening as it's ready to close and asks for a tattoo, Michael quickly volunteers to “ink” the man. He is intrigued by the mysterious, brooding man.
But Dominic – the customer - erases the experience from Michael's memory. However, Dominic returns several nights later for a tattoo that disappears by the next day.
Michael feels drawn to the mysterious man for reasons he cannot explain, or understand. He stalks Dominic, spying on him, inexplicably drawn to the man - a pull beyond his understanding. But Dominic will have none of Michael. He discourages Michael, even pushes the young man away with powerful impulses of his mind.
Dominic chooses to end his "life", not wanting to bring any harm Michael. Michael still feels compelled to look for the man he’s feels drawn to, romantically and physically - to seek the man out, to understand his feelings, determine once and for all if there is any possibly of a relationship with Dominic.
Michael locates Dominic and excitement turns to fear as he realizes Dominic is dying, possibly dead. In a desperate attempt to revive the vampire, Michael shares his blood with the man and curls beside him in bed.
Through the first half of the novel, Dominic seems to do everything
he can to push Michael away, but the pull is too strong and soon, Dominic gives into his desires, only to attract the attention of his “maker”.
And all is not well when Dominic's maker senses a chance to reclaim
his "son", and interfere with Michael's newfound love affair - the man's very existence and that of his close friends, is suddenly in danger.
Ink is a dark, at times gothic, at times mushy, romantic tale of angst, fear and discovery, of an ancient vampire's loss of hope and desire - a m/m romance with strong characters and plot; the writing is very good, save for a few references to modern pop culture that appeared odd. The novel builds very slow and deliberate until Dominic and Michael are finally joined as lovers, only to meet a fate stronger than either of them could have imagined.
Isabelle Rowan has created a very gratifying m/m love story – and thriller (the part I loved most toward the end!); a novel between opposite men, unlikely lovers – men destined to meet in this lifetime (or perhaps the next.)
The story drags at some points in the beginning, but pushing forth to the thriller portion of the last fifty pages or so are well worth the wait.
A very enjoyable read indeed!
December 22, 2011
Dominic is old. Tired. Alone. His existence tires him, makes him withdraw from the human contact he craves, but fears. It has been so long since he has felt a lover's touch, care, love. He sits across the street from Ink and watches the humans go in and out, smelling the blood and sweat. And sees a good looking young man who stirs things in him that he hides from.
Michael is a tattoo artist at Ink, funny, smart, young, handsome. When the attractive man comes in to the shop as it is ready to close and asks for a tattoo, he notices, is attracted, but has fear mingled with attraction. Once the tattoo is finished, Dominic makes him forget.
But Michael doesn't. Not completely. He is drawn to the smooth skin, the sadness, the emptiness. Even when he shouldn't be. So he tracks Dominic, watches for him, and is drawn to him in spite of himself. And when Dominic pushes him away, he cannot help but trace him again and again.
When Dominic decides to end his existence rather than harm Michael, Michael calls upon all of his caring and tracks him, finds him and restores him. And makes Dominic admit he wants. Needs. But to take Michael to his bed, that is impossible. He would kill the man.
Will Michael push Dominic to open himself to feelings he has denied himself? How can they be together? And when Dominic's maker returns for his "son", will he be able to keep Michael safe, or will the new found love be crushed out?
This wonderful, dark and yet hopeful take on the vampire legend is just terrific. Isabelle Rowan has crafted a memorable and inventive love story between two men drifting, not allowing themselves to connect with another fully, and yet who forge an instant and powerful connection. The build is slow, the pacing masterful, and the characters fully developed, believable and whole. Dominic is tragic, a man with a long history of denying himself love and comfort. The slow awakening of his heart is so true and honest to his character. And Michael is just wonderful - stubborn, young yet mature, the polar opposite and yet the perfect compliment to Dominic.
The supporting characters in this book are so good also. Ben and Abby work with Michael at Ink, and are his best friends. They figure hugely in the last half of the book and are so well imagined. And Galen, Dominic's maker. I think he was the most interesting character in the book. So evil, it seems. And yet, so fragile and human, broken and flawed, just fascinating.
This is a strong strong book. It grabbed me by the throat and, strangely, by the heart. Funny, and I didn't mind either.
Grab it for a different experience.
Tom
Michael is a tattoo artist at Ink, funny, smart, young, handsome. When the attractive man comes in to the shop as it is ready to close and asks for a tattoo, he notices, is attracted, but has fear mingled with attraction. Once the tattoo is finished, Dominic makes him forget.
But Michael doesn't. Not completely. He is drawn to the smooth skin, the sadness, the emptiness. Even when he shouldn't be. So he tracks Dominic, watches for him, and is drawn to him in spite of himself. And when Dominic pushes him away, he cannot help but trace him again and again.
When Dominic decides to end his existence rather than harm Michael, Michael calls upon all of his caring and tracks him, finds him and restores him. And makes Dominic admit he wants. Needs. But to take Michael to his bed, that is impossible. He would kill the man.
Will Michael push Dominic to open himself to feelings he has denied himself? How can they be together? And when Dominic's maker returns for his "son", will he be able to keep Michael safe, or will the new found love be crushed out?
This wonderful, dark and yet hopeful take on the vampire legend is just terrific. Isabelle Rowan has crafted a memorable and inventive love story between two men drifting, not allowing themselves to connect with another fully, and yet who forge an instant and powerful connection. The build is slow, the pacing masterful, and the characters fully developed, believable and whole. Dominic is tragic, a man with a long history of denying himself love and comfort. The slow awakening of his heart is so true and honest to his character. And Michael is just wonderful - stubborn, young yet mature, the polar opposite and yet the perfect compliment to Dominic.
The supporting characters in this book are so good also. Ben and Abby work with Michael at Ink, and are his best friends. They figure hugely in the last half of the book and are so well imagined. And Galen, Dominic's maker. I think he was the most interesting character in the book. So evil, it seems. And yet, so fragile and human, broken and flawed, just fascinating.
This is a strong strong book. It grabbed me by the throat and, strangely, by the heart. Funny, and I didn't mind either.
Grab it for a different experience.
Tom
December 13, 2011
Isabelle Rowan's A Note in the Margin is one of the most profound novels in this genre I have ever read and I have been waiting for her to release a new title. I'm so happy that this month (December 2011), she doesn't only release one story but two. This novel is an expanded version of a short story in an anthology. I have not read that, I decide to choose this one instead.
Dusk during the Melbourne summer was a haze of orange that would have rivaled any in the world except for its brevity. The twilight of Europe lingered. (Chapter 3)
The first half of this story makes me feel melancholic. The sadness and lonely aura that seems to surround Dominic, the Vampire, as he fights his need to be with Michael, the young tattoist artist, is so strong and palpable, it devours me as well when I read this. The feeling goes on until Michael fights Dominic's will and decides to take the decision by himself, to be with the vampire -- because he cannot imagine of living without.
The second half has a sense of thrill and action, because apparently, Dominic's maker, Galen, is on his trail, and Galen wants to make Michael a "monster", to forget his humanity. During this second half, at times, I feel like it's a bit dragging on, but Rowan's writing is too beautiful for me to feel annoyed. She writes in picturesque style that I can't help to be captivated.
This is not just story about love but also friendship, since there are two secondary characters, Abby and Scott, Michael's friends, who also help Michael to survive his blood lust.
In the end, it's another satisfying, slightly melancholic, and dreamy read from Rowan ... it's certainly worth the wait.
Dusk during the Melbourne summer was a haze of orange that would have rivaled any in the world except for its brevity. The twilight of Europe lingered. (Chapter 3)
The first half of this story makes me feel melancholic. The sadness and lonely aura that seems to surround Dominic, the Vampire, as he fights his need to be with Michael, the young tattoist artist, is so strong and palpable, it devours me as well when I read this. The feeling goes on until Michael fights Dominic's will and decides to take the decision by himself, to be with the vampire -- because he cannot imagine of living without.
The second half has a sense of thrill and action, because apparently, Dominic's maker, Galen, is on his trail, and Galen wants to make Michael a "monster", to forget his humanity. During this second half, at times, I feel like it's a bit dragging on, but Rowan's writing is too beautiful for me to feel annoyed. She writes in picturesque style that I can't help to be captivated.
This is not just story about love but also friendship, since there are two secondary characters, Abby and Scott, Michael's friends, who also help Michael to survive his blood lust.
In the end, it's another satisfying, slightly melancholic, and dreamy read from Rowan ... it's certainly worth the wait.
March 14, 2012
I nearly stopped reading this part-way through. It was just way too Twilight-y:
Human: (meets a mysterious stranger who does things he can't explain and whom he feels inexplicably drawn to)
Vampire: but I'm a vampire
Human: cool.
Vampire: aren't you afraid?
Human: No, I'm in love with you. Let's have sex.
Vampire: But we can't. I'm a vampire. I'll hurt you.
Human: *shrugs* Then make me a vampire.
I'm glad I stuck through it.
Human: (meets a mysterious stranger who does things he can't explain and whom he feels inexplicably drawn to)
Vampire: but I'm a vampire
Human: cool.
Vampire: aren't you afraid?
Human: No, I'm in love with you. Let's have sex.
Vampire: But we can't. I'm a vampire. I'll hurt you.
Human: *shrugs* Then make me a vampire.
I'm glad I stuck through it.
April 10, 2012
3.5*
I admit it, I totally fell for the cover, then I saw it was about vampires and tattoos...I knew I had to have it! :)
Well, it starts out slow and sad, Dominic has lived a long time and most of it alone. And he is depressed, and it was getting me down, then we see how fascinated he is with Michael.
Michael is a tattoo artist, he remembers Dominic and is drawn to him even if he isn't supposed to be.
He doesn't give up, and sort of forces his way into Dominic's life.
Parts sort of dragged for me, and then Dominic's maker comes on the scene and the book takes a whole different turn.
Michael's friends are great, just had to add that.
it's a different kind of Vampire book, that's for sure, I liked it, but didn't love it.
I admit it, I totally fell for the cover, then I saw it was about vampires and tattoos...I knew I had to have it! :)
Well, it starts out slow and sad, Dominic has lived a long time and most of it alone. And he is depressed, and it was getting me down, then we see how fascinated he is with Michael.
Michael is a tattoo artist, he remembers Dominic and is drawn to him even if he isn't supposed to be.
He doesn't give up, and sort of forces his way into Dominic's life.
Parts sort of dragged for me, and then Dominic's maker comes on the scene and the book takes a whole different turn.
Michael's friends are great, just had to add that.
it's a different kind of Vampire book, that's for sure, I liked it, but didn't love it.
August 2, 2016
2.5
Me ha costado leerlo. El principio muy lento y caótico. Amor sacado del aire y sin explicación....Lo único que me ha gustado son las escenas del pasado y pico más
=_=
Me ha costado leerlo. El principio muy lento y caótico. Amor sacado del aire y sin explicación....Lo único que me ha gustado son las escenas del pasado y pico más
=_=
March 3, 2019
2.5 stars.... so the first part of this book was 1-2 stars. I like fated mate tropes but we didn’t have that excuse here for the instalove and so it fell flat. Everything seemed so easy until we meet Galen and even then I never connected with the characters. However I did like the ending which bumped up my rating. But had I not had this as a challenge book, I would have dnf early on.
January 19, 2012
What an intoxicating book. I absolutely loved it. The first part of the book was so full of emotion, I was physically shuddering with the desire and want of the tattooist Michael and the vampire Dominic. It tore you in two having them desire each other with so much intensity, yet holding back because of Dominic's concerns for how much he could affect Michael. It created a great sense of melancholy yet all the while you had the hope they would be together, because they just had to be. It felt like the story and emotion had seeped into my veins, just wow!
After the emotional onslaught of the first half, the second part was more focused on the story and what happens when Dominic's maker, Galen, turns up. The passion and need of Dominic and Michael was still there throughout, but the author takes you through a story that explores the idea of just how much humanity is still present in a vampire, and just how important it is.
An amazing book with characters that you fall in love with from the word go. I loved every second of it.
After the emotional onslaught of the first half, the second part was more focused on the story and what happens when Dominic's maker, Galen, turns up. The passion and need of Dominic and Michael was still there throughout, but the author takes you through a story that explores the idea of just how much humanity is still present in a vampire, and just how important it is.
An amazing book with characters that you fall in love with from the word go. I loved every second of it.
May 7, 2016
2.5 stars
May 10, 2012
Ink is the story of Dominic, an ancient vampire who has been on this Earth since the era of the Roman emperor Hadrian. He's lonely but he keeps to himself by choice and is constantly tormented by his very same nature. He strives to keep a shred of his lost humanity in him but is tired of his existence, of having to shun the company of others because of the harm he can inflict upon them. He craves a companion's touch but it's been centuries since he last felt something remotely similar to lust or desire, let alone love.
Yet Dominic finds himself fascinated by a young and handsome and very lively tattoo artist, Michael. Every night he enters the tattoo parlor where Michael works, "Ink", and gets himself a tattoo he knows will fade until morning but he can't resist the attraction he feels for the young man. Michael isn't supposed to remember any of their encounters—Dominic takes care of that—but it seems that Michael shares the same feelings because he feels equally drawn to Dominic, he can "hear" Dominic thinking about him, he feels the urge to go to him.
So Dominic gives in to his rapidly growing feelings, turns Michael into a vampire and starts hoping again. But just about he starts thinking that his existence will finally take on meaning, Galen, his past lover and maker, a creature even more ancient than Dominic, appears and he's determined to not let Dominic enjoy his newfound life with Michael.
In more ways than one, Dominic reminded me of Louis, the tormented hero of Ann Rice's Interview with the Vampire. The self-loathing, the brooding, the constant questioning of his existence, the desperate clinging to what he considers his last traces of humanity. So it was fairly easy for me to empathize with him. It didn't get far beyond that, I found him pretty one dimensional and at times tiring but I liked him alright.
Michael on the other hand, came across more or less as an enthusiastic and impulsive but also kind of emotionally immature character. And maybe that's why I wasn't very convinced by his romance with Dominic. Don't get me wrong, I liked Michael more than Dominic, but I kept picturing him as a love-struck teenager and I'm not sure that was exactly the author's intention.
Galen was the most intriguing character for me, mostly because of his past and his history with Dominic but I'm a sucker for villains so maybe I'm not the best judge on that.
All in all, I enjoyed the story and maybe I would have given it a higher rating had it not been for the constant POV shifts, which confused me and didn't allow me to engage more with the characters.
Dreamspinner Press kindly provided me with an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review
Yet Dominic finds himself fascinated by a young and handsome and very lively tattoo artist, Michael. Every night he enters the tattoo parlor where Michael works, "Ink", and gets himself a tattoo he knows will fade until morning but he can't resist the attraction he feels for the young man. Michael isn't supposed to remember any of their encounters—Dominic takes care of that—but it seems that Michael shares the same feelings because he feels equally drawn to Dominic, he can "hear" Dominic thinking about him, he feels the urge to go to him.
So Dominic gives in to his rapidly growing feelings, turns Michael into a vampire and starts hoping again. But just about he starts thinking that his existence will finally take on meaning, Galen, his past lover and maker, a creature even more ancient than Dominic, appears and he's determined to not let Dominic enjoy his newfound life with Michael.
In more ways than one, Dominic reminded me of Louis, the tormented hero of Ann Rice's Interview with the Vampire. The self-loathing, the brooding, the constant questioning of his existence, the desperate clinging to what he considers his last traces of humanity. So it was fairly easy for me to empathize with him. It didn't get far beyond that, I found him pretty one dimensional and at times tiring but I liked him alright.
Michael on the other hand, came across more or less as an enthusiastic and impulsive but also kind of emotionally immature character. And maybe that's why I wasn't very convinced by his romance with Dominic. Don't get me wrong, I liked Michael more than Dominic, but I kept picturing him as a love-struck teenager and I'm not sure that was exactly the author's intention.
Galen was the most intriguing character for me, mostly because of his past and his history with Dominic but I'm a sucker for villains so maybe I'm not the best judge on that.
All in all, I enjoyed the story and maybe I would have given it a higher rating had it not been for the constant POV shifts, which confused me and didn't allow me to engage more with the characters.
Dreamspinner Press kindly provided me with an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review
February 4, 2016
I really enjoyed this story. I've wanted to read it for awhile and am glad it finally fit into my reading. From reading the something somewhere I know this was expanded from a short and I think that is pretty apparent in how quickly the relationship between these two develops and how ok with everything Michael is. Still I found myself sucked into the story and since it is a paranormal book I was ok with the insta-love scenario.
Dominic has lived an isolated life for a very long time. He's watched generations come and go and lost touch with the human need to connect. But recently he's found himself entranced by one particular human. Finally unable to resist any longer Dominic goes into the tattoo shop under the pretense of finding out if his vampire abilities will let him maintain a tattoo or whether it will disappear with his healing. But one encounter with Michael is not enough and each time he finds himself drawn back to the man the connection between them grows. But there's a force out there not to happy about Dominic's growing contentment.
This was a very enjoyable story and Dominic and Michael had the whole destined mates thing going on in a way that made their bond really strong. I liked the way Michael handled the challenges thrown at him after he turned. His reliance on his own personal barometer was an interesting wrinkle in this story. There was an interesting different mythology for the vampire with this one and I liked that the backstory was something unexpected. All in all a solid little book. :)
Dominic has lived an isolated life for a very long time. He's watched generations come and go and lost touch with the human need to connect. But recently he's found himself entranced by one particular human. Finally unable to resist any longer Dominic goes into the tattoo shop under the pretense of finding out if his vampire abilities will let him maintain a tattoo or whether it will disappear with his healing. But one encounter with Michael is not enough and each time he finds himself drawn back to the man the connection between them grows. But there's a force out there not to happy about Dominic's growing contentment.
This was a very enjoyable story and Dominic and Michael had the whole destined mates thing going on in a way that made their bond really strong. I liked the way Michael handled the challenges thrown at him after he turned. His reliance on his own personal barometer was an interesting wrinkle in this story. There was an interesting different mythology for the vampire with this one and I liked that the backstory was something unexpected. All in all a solid little book. :)
December 28, 2011
As much as I enjoyed reading a novel set in my home town, I was a little disappointed by this novel. It wasn't bad by any means, but it didn't have the impact of Rowan's previous novel, A Note in the Margin. Some may point out that this is a paranormal romance novel while 'A Note...' was a contemporary romance, and I shouldn't expect the same, well, that may be true up to a point... Unfortunately,the difference in genre cannot account for the lack of emotional connection I had with the characters. Right from the beginning, the 3rd person POV seemed to be exaggerated, and while I hoped I'd either settle in to the novel and be able to ignore it, or that the writing itself would become more intimate as the story developed, it failed to do so for me.
I did like the whole concept of the novel, the plot and the basic characters were appealing. That said, though, I felt that quite a few bits seemed formulaic, while other areas were oversimplified. Add in the 3rd POV, and the result was an average novel. Not great, not bad, but average...
I did like the whole concept of the novel, the plot and the basic characters were appealing. That said, though, I felt that quite a few bits seemed formulaic, while other areas were oversimplified. Add in the 3rd POV, and the result was an average novel. Not great, not bad, but average...
August 15, 2012
This book is definitely not for everyone but I loved it. It was recommended to me for a pick for me challenge and I have to admit I probably wouldn't have picked it otherwise, but it was such a good story. It wasn't really new or unique, but the story pulled you in and it was full of emotion.
I was reminded of Anne Rice's vampire chronicles as I was reading. Obviously the story is different, but Isabelle Rowan did a good job of portraying the tortured vampire. Dominic reminded me of Louis. He was so lonely and sad, afraid of having a human connection because he didn't want to hurt anyone. Then came Michael.
Michael was a great character and he brought the humanity back to Dominic. Their relationship was touching and heartfelt. This is fantastic book for anyone who likes the paranormal and m/m relationships. It's not erotic, it's a very tastefully written m/m romance, but still, if you're not comfortable with a m/m relationship you will not like the book.
February 9, 2013
Once again Isabelle Rowan delves deep to give us characters that tug at our hearts and remind us of our humanity--and this time she does it with vampires! Perhaps one of the most beautiful love stories I have read to date, Ink takes us into the life of a vampire who feels he has lived beyond his existence--we feel his loneliness so keenly--it is palpable--painful, so very real.
Dominic is centuries old and has ceased to believe that he will ever be able to form a relationship that does not end in his taking a life and so he avoids the human realm except to feed occasionally and walk amongst humans and pine for an end to his bone deep isolation. Then he discovers Michael, a tattoo artist and perhaps the loveliest character Ms. Rowan has ever created. His compassion and love for Dominic transcends words and they are a marvel to watch.
I so enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to you!
Dominic is centuries old and has ceased to believe that he will ever be able to form a relationship that does not end in his taking a life and so he avoids the human realm except to feed occasionally and walk amongst humans and pine for an end to his bone deep isolation. Then he discovers Michael, a tattoo artist and perhaps the loveliest character Ms. Rowan has ever created. His compassion and love for Dominic transcends words and they are a marvel to watch.
I so enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to you!
August 1, 2012
I am a bit confused on how to rate this, as it was very different to what I normally read, and I am confused by my feelings for it.
I liked the characters, and found the story mainly very interesting, especially the second half of the book. Isabelle Rowan gave me enough back story to make her leading men very appealing, but I found the story was a bit slow in places. The secondary characters were also appealing, and there was a couple I would like to know more about.
The writing was good, and the words flowed over me so I could see everything. I felt like I was also walking the street of Melbourne, a city that I have always loved.
I am at heart, a romance reader, and this love story was very sweet, but I prefer I little more heat.
I liked the characters, and found the story mainly very interesting, especially the second half of the book. Isabelle Rowan gave me enough back story to make her leading men very appealing, but I found the story was a bit slow in places. The secondary characters were also appealing, and there was a couple I would like to know more about.
The writing was good, and the words flowed over me so I could see everything. I felt like I was also walking the street of Melbourne, a city that I have always loved.
I am at heart, a romance reader, and this love story was very sweet, but I prefer I little more heat.
December 17, 2011
This story was weird. The start was interesting and pulling. I liked how Michael and Dominic met, how their story developed...from feelings of recognition...longings to be together.... toward turning Michael into a vampire. Their, so called, instant love was a bit fast, but okay, acceptable. After this plotted part my interest in this story partly fell. Sure Michael got his wish, he became a vampire to be able to be together with Dominic, after this process the emotions were bland, everything was to passive and it felt empty. I wasn't much interested Galen as a character. Maybe this led me toward this boring feeling toward the story.
Want to read
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July 29, 2014
A friend of mine commented recently that she does not like to read authors who are unfamiliar to her. She prefers tried-and-tested books that deliver the same effect, and perform the same function, over and over again.
Given the little free time she has, in-between the demands of work, home and friends, the last thing you want to do is curl up with a book that you actively dislike, or maybe even despise, or which (heaven forbid) is boring.
Of course, I sympathise with this sentiment. This is one of the reasons why I have so many different books at various stages of ‘being read’, as it often depends on my mood, energy level or particular interest what I feel like reading.
I do feel, however, that you do yourself a disservice as a reader if you do not experiment a bit in your reading. The benefits of discovery and growth far outweigh the danger of stepping outside of a comfort zone.
But I will never presume to judge other readers. Whatever you read – be it Stephanie Meyer or Michel Foucault – the fact is that you are reading. Hamlet’s comment that “there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy” could apply equally to the diverse communities of genres, authors and readers out there.
Which brings me, in a roundabout way, to Ink by Isabelle Rowan: you could say I popped my MM cherry with this, my first experience of the genre – which apparently is bristling with homely women writing erotic gay fiction dripping with bodily fluids. This piqued my curiosity, as I read a lot of gay literay (literary gay?) fiction.
In response to the question of why (straight) women write (gay) fiction, MM author Amy Lane was quoted on www.likesbooks.com as saying that “love is redemptive, and if any group needs the redemptive qualities of love, it is gay men.” Z.A. Maxfield said that “what was missing from previous gay fiction was the happy ending.” Personally I think that both these sentiments are risible; clearly these female authors promote an idealised view of gay life and sexuality that has little to do with reality, gay or otherwise, coming to think of it.
Anne Tenino commented that MM authors brought ‘romance’ to gay fiction; Josephine Myles said she felt “like a man” when she wrote MM fiction, which entailed a different power dynamic to straight female relationships. The latter comment is interesting because it ignores the fact that gay relationships have power dynamics like any other, particularly with regard to sexual roles (such as ‘top’ and ‘bottom’).
Increasingly then one gets the feeling that MM fiction promotes an idealised world of sexuality-without-consequences, where partners are ‘equal’ and indulge in provocative desires with an attitude that is more permissive than it is liberated.
It is unlikely that Ink is completely representative of this genre, of course. Reading it though has made me curious to try a few more books by different authors, if only to better understand the genre tropes a little better.
Reading this also reminds me how difficult it is to write erotic fiction. Ink attempts to straddle a rather fine line between soft-core innuendo and outright explicitness. There are lots of bits like “Take me into you, Michael” that flirt with anal penetration … but when it comes to the Big Seduction, the sentence that “he nudged the head against Michael’s puckered entrance and began the slow push in” is so droll that it jettisons the reader from the narrative. (From a reader’s point of view, I was also curious as to why Michael was the passive partner specifically; it would have been far better if this had been a ‘flip-flop’, in keeping with the genre’s presumed aim of [gay] sexual equality.)
The reason that this is as explicit as it gets though is, I feel, due to the author’s fundamental lack of understanding of the precise mechanics of gay anal intercourse, in particular. In general there is a lot of staring-into-other’s-eyes and throbbing-members-in-jeans-rubbed-together. (The technical term for this, of course, is ‘frottage’).
The novel’s sole female protagonist, Abby, comes across as a Yoda-like figure, dispensing Hallmark platitudes and feminine insight, but without a hint of her own sexuality. When Michael tells her that his latest boyfriend is, well, a vampire, she does not even blink, and just tells him to “be safe”.
It is Abby that believes in the ‘true love’ that Michael and Dominic share, and that guides the story to its resolute climax of acceptance, reward and disaster avoided. It is clear that Abby is a stand-in for Isabelle Rowan herself, as this is the character that indisputably conveys the ‘moral’ of the story.
Galen, the eternal child vampire conflicted by his nature as a killer and his faded humanity, is very reminiscent of Godrick from the HBO series True Blood, while the idea of a vampire surviving from Roman times has been explored by writers such as Michael Schiefelbein.
There is nothing wrong with using genre tropes though; it just depends how you invigorate them. It is here that Ink blotches its own copybook, as this is rather an anaemic take on vampiric lore. Rowan offers a fumbled explanation of her vampires not being entirely dead, which is why they have sufficient blood circulation to maintain a hard-on. (Glen Duncan’s take on vampiric fuckery is far more transgressive in this regard).
The most interesting part of this novel is its setting, namely the tattoo parlour called Ink. A great idea would have been to focus exclusively on this establishment and to follow it and its vampire management through the ages.
So ... in my humble estimation, both gay and vampire fans are likely to be disappointed by this. It remains to ponder what general MM readers make of it. I suppose it satisfies the genre’s general requirement for romanticised titillation, focusing on an idealised and unattainable (gay) relationship.
My biggest problem here is that there is a worrying under-current of anti-gay sentiment that Rowan was probably completely oblivious to. Michael’s fight against his ‘true’ nature, and trying not to give in to his urges, can easily be read as someone struggling to come to terms with being gay, which here is equated with the ‘unnatural’ scourge of vampirism. Perhaps this is reading far too much into such a slender tale, but I think authors need to be aware of the possible interpretations and implications of their work, whether implicit or explicit.
Given the little free time she has, in-between the demands of work, home and friends, the last thing you want to do is curl up with a book that you actively dislike, or maybe even despise, or which (heaven forbid) is boring.
Of course, I sympathise with this sentiment. This is one of the reasons why I have so many different books at various stages of ‘being read’, as it often depends on my mood, energy level or particular interest what I feel like reading.
I do feel, however, that you do yourself a disservice as a reader if you do not experiment a bit in your reading. The benefits of discovery and growth far outweigh the danger of stepping outside of a comfort zone.
But I will never presume to judge other readers. Whatever you read – be it Stephanie Meyer or Michel Foucault – the fact is that you are reading. Hamlet’s comment that “there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy” could apply equally to the diverse communities of genres, authors and readers out there.
Which brings me, in a roundabout way, to Ink by Isabelle Rowan: you could say I popped my MM cherry with this, my first experience of the genre – which apparently is bristling with homely women writing erotic gay fiction dripping with bodily fluids. This piqued my curiosity, as I read a lot of gay literay (literary gay?) fiction.
In response to the question of why (straight) women write (gay) fiction, MM author Amy Lane was quoted on www.likesbooks.com as saying that “love is redemptive, and if any group needs the redemptive qualities of love, it is gay men.” Z.A. Maxfield said that “what was missing from previous gay fiction was the happy ending.” Personally I think that both these sentiments are risible; clearly these female authors promote an idealised view of gay life and sexuality that has little to do with reality, gay or otherwise, coming to think of it.
Anne Tenino commented that MM authors brought ‘romance’ to gay fiction; Josephine Myles said she felt “like a man” when she wrote MM fiction, which entailed a different power dynamic to straight female relationships. The latter comment is interesting because it ignores the fact that gay relationships have power dynamics like any other, particularly with regard to sexual roles (such as ‘top’ and ‘bottom’).
Increasingly then one gets the feeling that MM fiction promotes an idealised world of sexuality-without-consequences, where partners are ‘equal’ and indulge in provocative desires with an attitude that is more permissive than it is liberated.
It is unlikely that Ink is completely representative of this genre, of course. Reading it though has made me curious to try a few more books by different authors, if only to better understand the genre tropes a little better.
Reading this also reminds me how difficult it is to write erotic fiction. Ink attempts to straddle a rather fine line between soft-core innuendo and outright explicitness. There are lots of bits like “Take me into you, Michael” that flirt with anal penetration … but when it comes to the Big Seduction, the sentence that “he nudged the head against Michael’s puckered entrance and began the slow push in” is so droll that it jettisons the reader from the narrative. (From a reader’s point of view, I was also curious as to why Michael was the passive partner specifically; it would have been far better if this had been a ‘flip-flop’, in keeping with the genre’s presumed aim of [gay] sexual equality.)
The reason that this is as explicit as it gets though is, I feel, due to the author’s fundamental lack of understanding of the precise mechanics of gay anal intercourse, in particular. In general there is a lot of staring-into-other’s-eyes and throbbing-members-in-jeans-rubbed-together. (The technical term for this, of course, is ‘frottage’).
The novel’s sole female protagonist, Abby, comes across as a Yoda-like figure, dispensing Hallmark platitudes and feminine insight, but without a hint of her own sexuality. When Michael tells her that his latest boyfriend is, well, a vampire, she does not even blink, and just tells him to “be safe”.
It is Abby that believes in the ‘true love’ that Michael and Dominic share, and that guides the story to its resolute climax of acceptance, reward and disaster avoided. It is clear that Abby is a stand-in for Isabelle Rowan herself, as this is the character that indisputably conveys the ‘moral’ of the story.
Galen, the eternal child vampire conflicted by his nature as a killer and his faded humanity, is very reminiscent of Godrick from the HBO series True Blood, while the idea of a vampire surviving from Roman times has been explored by writers such as Michael Schiefelbein.
There is nothing wrong with using genre tropes though; it just depends how you invigorate them. It is here that Ink blotches its own copybook, as this is rather an anaemic take on vampiric lore. Rowan offers a fumbled explanation of her vampires not being entirely dead, which is why they have sufficient blood circulation to maintain a hard-on. (Glen Duncan’s take on vampiric fuckery is far more transgressive in this regard).
The most interesting part of this novel is its setting, namely the tattoo parlour called Ink. A great idea would have been to focus exclusively on this establishment and to follow it and its vampire management through the ages.
So ... in my humble estimation, both gay and vampire fans are likely to be disappointed by this. It remains to ponder what general MM readers make of it. I suppose it satisfies the genre’s general requirement for romanticised titillation, focusing on an idealised and unattainable (gay) relationship.
My biggest problem here is that there is a worrying under-current of anti-gay sentiment that Rowan was probably completely oblivious to. Michael’s fight against his ‘true’ nature, and trying not to give in to his urges, can easily be read as someone struggling to come to terms with being gay, which here is equated with the ‘unnatural’ scourge of vampirism. Perhaps this is reading far too much into such a slender tale, but I think authors need to be aware of the possible interpretations and implications of their work, whether implicit or explicit.
January 27, 2024
3+⭐
Initially I was enjoying the melancholy and slow pace, which is rather suitable for vampires and gothic romance in general. But then I started to get frustrated with Dominic, and that prevailed for the most of the book. He was being a dumb dick, constantly making really bad decisions. Honestly I prefer my thousands-of-years-old vampires a bit smarter.
The writing is pretty good and there were many things I found interesting, though this is not really a fresh new take on vampires or anything. There were no definite POVs as some thoughts and feelings from almost every character present were voiced, but the scenes mostly followed the two leads.
I wanted to like this book more, but Dominic made it quite hard 😅. I'm not deterred from trying another book from the author though, there was promise.
Initially I was enjoying the melancholy and slow pace, which is rather suitable for vampires and gothic romance in general. But then I started to get frustrated with Dominic, and that prevailed for the most of the book. He was being a dumb dick, constantly making really bad decisions. Honestly I prefer my thousands-of-years-old vampires a bit smarter.
The writing is pretty good and there were many things I found interesting, though this is not really a fresh new take on vampires or anything. There were no definite POVs as some thoughts and feelings from almost every character present were voiced, but the scenes mostly followed the two leads.
I wanted to like this book more, but Dominic made it quite hard 😅. I'm not deterred from trying another book from the author though, there was promise.
December 7, 2012
Ink is a story about an old vampire who fell in love with a human.
That’s not even remotely ground-breaking, isn’t it? Almost majority of the books dealing with these nocturnal creatures had them fighting off their bloodlust with the people they’re supposedly in love with. I must admit, the pull of this book lies in the fact that it’s an m/m PNR. And while I normally don’t put too much stock into how the book is packaged, the beauty of its cover was also an added bonus.
Surprisingly, this book was a bit more than just your average vampire drivel. It has a well-evolved history even if some of its elements were a bit pedestrian. Some vampire novels tend to try hard to be original but this one, I felt, kept closer to the lore.
Dominic spends his nights wandering Chapel Street; he sits at a café without ever drinking what he orders. Across the street, a young tattoo artist is unaware of the fact that he’s being watched. Until one night when a walk-in client decides to let his presence known. Plagued with self-loathing for what he’s about put Michael through and the possibilities of the harm he can do to him, Dominic pulls away. From the moment on, his connection to Dominic is all-consuming that it literally feels like he's missing a limb when he's not around. He also feels everything Dominic feels: loneliness, pain, love, and lust.
The next time they meet, Michael wouldn’t let him go until Dominic cut off all ties and decides to let his existence slowly perish by not feeding. But Michael made his own decision: he’d rather die than live without Dominic.
The love story is a little typical of the story line: an ancient vampire who fights off his nature (and fails) and a human with no sense of self-preservation. There was too much self-hatred on Dominic’s part and too much self-sacrificing affinity on Michael’s. They have such a staid connection and the author was very adept in making sure it comes off the pages. It’s in the way they communicate – telepathically and otherwise. It’s in every look and every touch and it’s in the way they feel each other’s presence, regardless of the distance. While I usually am not so forgiving when it comes to instant love between characters, I feel like I could give this book a pass. There’s just something about a supernatural being that’s hard to resist. And I get it.
Ink is dark and vivid, with a world that could give Anne Rice’s Lestat Chronicles a run for her money. The problem I had with this book was the lack of details on Michael’s change. It seemed so rush considering how much Dominic loathed changing him. Michael also didn’t seem to have struggled with it; his sharpened senses didn’t bother him too much. In fact, the only instance I felt like he had a hard time was when he was assaulted with the need to hurt one of his best friends. The author didn’t get hung up on Michael’s hunger especially when he was briefly separated from Dominic. I thought it wasn’t realistic. But then again, this is a vampire book. There's nothing realistic about that.
I also did not understand why Dominic would stay away from Michael when he knew it would kill him. I’m not being melodramatic either. I meant that Michael wouldn’t feed on anyone else but Dominic. Knowing this, he still chose to stay away because he thought he was doing Michael a favor.
Overall, I think this book was entertaining enough if you’re like me who's been looking to resuscitate her appetite for vampires.
That’s not even remotely ground-breaking, isn’t it? Almost majority of the books dealing with these nocturnal creatures had them fighting off their bloodlust with the people they’re supposedly in love with. I must admit, the pull of this book lies in the fact that it’s an m/m PNR. And while I normally don’t put too much stock into how the book is packaged, the beauty of its cover was also an added bonus.
Surprisingly, this book was a bit more than just your average vampire drivel. It has a well-evolved history even if some of its elements were a bit pedestrian. Some vampire novels tend to try hard to be original but this one, I felt, kept closer to the lore.
Dominic spends his nights wandering Chapel Street; he sits at a café without ever drinking what he orders. Across the street, a young tattoo artist is unaware of the fact that he’s being watched. Until one night when a walk-in client decides to let his presence known. Plagued with self-loathing for what he’s about put Michael through and the possibilities of the harm he can do to him, Dominic pulls away. From the moment on, his connection to Dominic is all-consuming that it literally feels like he's missing a limb when he's not around. He also feels everything Dominic feels: loneliness, pain, love, and lust.
The next time they meet, Michael wouldn’t let him go until Dominic cut off all ties and decides to let his existence slowly perish by not feeding. But Michael made his own decision: he’d rather die than live without Dominic.
The love story is a little typical of the story line: an ancient vampire who fights off his nature (and fails) and a human with no sense of self-preservation. There was too much self-hatred on Dominic’s part and too much self-sacrificing affinity on Michael’s. They have such a staid connection and the author was very adept in making sure it comes off the pages. It’s in the way they communicate – telepathically and otherwise. It’s in every look and every touch and it’s in the way they feel each other’s presence, regardless of the distance. While I usually am not so forgiving when it comes to instant love between characters, I feel like I could give this book a pass. There’s just something about a supernatural being that’s hard to resist. And I get it.
Ink is dark and vivid, with a world that could give Anne Rice’s Lestat Chronicles a run for her money. The problem I had with this book was the lack of details on Michael’s change. It seemed so rush considering how much Dominic loathed changing him. Michael also didn’t seem to have struggled with it; his sharpened senses didn’t bother him too much. In fact, the only instance I felt like he had a hard time was when he was assaulted with the need to hurt one of his best friends. The author didn’t get hung up on Michael’s hunger especially when he was briefly separated from Dominic. I thought it wasn’t realistic. But then again, this is a vampire book. There's nothing realistic about that.
I also did not understand why Dominic would stay away from Michael when he knew it would kill him. I’m not being melodramatic either. I meant that Michael wouldn’t feed on anyone else but Dominic. Knowing this, he still chose to stay away because he thought he was doing Michael a favor.
Overall, I think this book was entertaining enough if you’re like me who's been looking to resuscitate her appetite for vampires.
January 7, 2012
It's certainly not an easy book to read. Full of sadness and angst you may have second thoughts and don't give a try... well, don't do it. I dare you to read it, to suffer with all characters... feel all their pain, loneness... because after such strong sentiments when you start to feel their happiness it will be such release! It will be like an escape from a dark confinement, to a place where there is still hope for them, for you, for each of us.
Because if Dominic can find love and feel it, anyone can... so yes, I dare you to suffer his pain.
Dominic is a vampire. A very old vampire, walking on earth from the roman empire era
He is so desperate for human contact you can touch it. Yes, I'm not kidding. It's a feeling, I know, but it's so concrete! If you try you can reach and touch it... it's a wall, he build it around himself to protect humans from himself, and from his insane maker.
Dominic need to be in a society is something he can't, even if he try, to denied. He need blood, so he will stay near humans... avoiding them, as they avoid him... his predator aura fright people, everyone will stay a hell away from him... but not Michael.
Michael is a tattooist. To don't loose what remain of his humanity Dominic sometimes need a human willing to touch him. So what he did? Tattoos. The tattooist must be close to him, touch him, even if just for few minutes, it's always a warm hand passing by Dominic arms, back... someone that do it, and after will never remember it. But Michael don't want to forget him... neither want Dominic, be forgotten by such rare beauty. Be forgotten by someone as Michael is something he must do... but don't want to.
It's a very slow romance. Don't think one scene together is enough to Michael see he love Dominic. And of course also Dominic will fight against his desire to be with Michael.
I must say this book surprise me in many ways. I knew this writer (and also love her contemporary romance A Note in the Margin) so I was curious about a paranormal romance. It surprise me because again Isabelle Rowan conquer my heart. Dominic, Michael and also secondary characters (Galen, Abby and Scott) are so amazing. I dare to say this story has much more complex characters and it's much more dark than A note in the margin. So yes, this book surprise me because I was waiting a quality of plot and characters as I find reading A Note in the Margin, but no... I find much more. I find a deep story of what is love, and all the sacrifices everyone must do to dare to love.
Because love is not easy, it's not there, around the corner waiting for us. We must dare to go out, find it, fight and take hold of it with such force it will never leave us again.
Dominic find his sun, his optimism, his life... he find Michael...
...but can such doomed love be stronger than the world?
Read to know it.
5 stars
Because if Dominic can find love and feel it, anyone can... so yes, I dare you to suffer his pain.
Dominic is a vampire. A very old vampire, walking on earth from the roman empire era
He is so desperate for human contact you can touch it. Yes, I'm not kidding. It's a feeling, I know, but it's so concrete! If you try you can reach and touch it... it's a wall, he build it around himself to protect humans from himself, and from his insane maker.
Dominic need to be in a society is something he can't, even if he try, to denied. He need blood, so he will stay near humans... avoiding them, as they avoid him... his predator aura fright people, everyone will stay a hell away from him... but not Michael.
Michael is a tattooist. To don't loose what remain of his humanity Dominic sometimes need a human willing to touch him. So what he did? Tattoos. The tattooist must be close to him, touch him, even if just for few minutes, it's always a warm hand passing by Dominic arms, back... someone that do it, and after will never remember it. But Michael don't want to forget him... neither want Dominic, be forgotten by such rare beauty. Be forgotten by someone as Michael is something he must do... but don't want to.
It's a very slow romance. Don't think one scene together is enough to Michael see he love Dominic. And of course also Dominic will fight against his desire to be with Michael.
I must say this book surprise me in many ways. I knew this writer (and also love her contemporary romance A Note in the Margin) so I was curious about a paranormal romance. It surprise me because again Isabelle Rowan conquer my heart. Dominic, Michael and also secondary characters (Galen, Abby and Scott) are so amazing. I dare to say this story has much more complex characters and it's much more dark than A note in the margin. So yes, this book surprise me because I was waiting a quality of plot and characters as I find reading A Note in the Margin, but no... I find much more. I find a deep story of what is love, and all the sacrifices everyone must do to dare to love.
Because love is not easy, it's not there, around the corner waiting for us. We must dare to go out, find it, fight and take hold of it with such force it will never leave us again.
Dominic find his sun, his optimism, his life... he find Michael...
...but can such doomed love be stronger than the world?
Read to know it.
5 stars
June 15, 2023
Dominic was a Roman Centurion that never wanted to be a vampire and, after several centuries wandering the world and running from his maker, he's tired of life and lonely. Out of curiosity and a sort of test, he slips into a tattoo parlour somewhere in Australia to get work done by Michael, a young artist Dominic has been secretly watching. Michael is able to tattoo Dominic's shoulder but feels there's something different about this client and is left feeling bereft and confused after Dominic leaves. Michael is able to keep something of his memories even though Dominic altered them and tracks Dominic down again. Despite not being in his plans, Dominic can't let Michael go but also doesn't want to kill him, and it disrupts his own plans to finally end his own long life. Instead, Michael saves him and Dominic lets Michael stay in his life to give it renewed meaning. When he turns Michael, Dominic's maker, Galen, is awakened and shows up in town. Galen is even older than Dominic and had been told throughout his own short human life that he was meant to be a god and, despite the amount of time that's passed, he still believes that and has shunned any humanity he may have still had in him.
I loved the mix of Roman, ancient Celtic/Briton, and modern Australia cultures merging here. This has a slightly different take on vampire lore, throwing out a lot of the regular tropes (garlic, Christian iconography, coffins, etc.), but still keeps the dangers of daylight and the dark allure vampires need to have. You'll not find any glittery skin here. It's never explained why and how the vampires end up in Australia but it was a nice change from other vampire books I've read previously.
I thought this book spent a little too much time on Galen's past but the flashbacks do make Galen and Dominic more dimensional as characters. Also way too much time with Scott and Abby, even if they're Michael's long time friends and owners of the tattoo parlour. However, because of that time spend off of the main characters/couple, this felt like a start to a series that will not be written so was slightly frustrating in that way. There needs to be more between Dominic and Michael to make their love story make sense.
If you don't like insta-love tropes, this might not be a book you'd enjoy. Michael really wants to be a vampire a night or so after finding out they exist, declaring his immortal love for Dominic. However, because of Dominic's powers of suggestion over humans, it feels like maybe this is more a stockholm syndrome situation and slightly uncomfortable. Michael's not the typical Goth that Dominic has dealt with, who fantasize about gothy things, so Michael's decisions don't make a lot of sense. Someone who has lived centuries wouldn't find Michael so endearing after so little time.
Overall, I did really enjoy this and am always willing to read some MM vampire books. However, it's not without its flaws.
I loved the mix of Roman, ancient Celtic/Briton, and modern Australia cultures merging here. This has a slightly different take on vampire lore, throwing out a lot of the regular tropes (garlic, Christian iconography, coffins, etc.), but still keeps the dangers of daylight and the dark allure vampires need to have. You'll not find any glittery skin here. It's never explained why and how the vampires end up in Australia but it was a nice change from other vampire books I've read previously.
I thought this book spent a little too much time on Galen's past but the flashbacks do make Galen and Dominic more dimensional as characters. Also way too much time with Scott and Abby, even if they're Michael's long time friends and owners of the tattoo parlour. However, because of that time spend off of the main characters/couple, this felt like a start to a series that will not be written so was slightly frustrating in that way. There needs to be more between Dominic and Michael to make their love story make sense.
If you don't like insta-love tropes, this might not be a book you'd enjoy. Michael really wants to be a vampire a night or so after finding out they exist, declaring his immortal love for Dominic. However, because of Dominic's powers of suggestion over humans, it feels like maybe this is more a stockholm syndrome situation and slightly uncomfortable. Michael's not the typical Goth that Dominic has dealt with, who fantasize about gothy things, so Michael's decisions don't make a lot of sense. Someone who has lived centuries wouldn't find Michael so endearing after so little time.
Overall, I did really enjoy this and am always willing to read some MM vampire books. However, it's not without its flaws.
March 27, 2012
Overall
A classic tale of a young man's attraction to a vampire ending with a question of humanity and whether vampires are still of the same stock from which they were born. Ink is a slowly building story that uses a third person omniscient perspective that mainly sticks to the two main characters. The story was fairly good, the writing the same, but I had difficulty really getting into it. This teeters on an Insta-Love edge, but the way it was handled keeps it from being too terrible an example. A pleasant overall read, those who devour vampire novels may enjoy it especially.
Strengths
While there are elements that I really couldn't grab and character moments that made me raise a brow, I really loved some parts of the characters. Abby especially was a delight, the only one in this whole story with her head screwed on right! Dominic has his moments, but Abby pegged him rightly as a Louis character, and Michael, while mostly sensible and a good guy, sometimes seems to be playing the role the author set out for him. Galen (see "dark specter" above), was a surprise and I enjoyed his depth for being a late-appearing villain.
Along those same lines, the ending surprised me, but didn't necessarily disappoint. The epilogue made me raise a brow, but I also liked the sense of mystery it left in the wake of the resolution. Compared to the slow beginning, the ending seemed almost rushed, although there wasn't much to be done to extend it, either. Still, I was satisfied, if not a little sad, to see the way the story went. Also, I loved the role tattoos and markings played in the story.
I really love the cover. It's arty and dark with a strong fantastical feel that really caught my eye. Elements of it relate to the content of the novel without strictly sticking to it.
Weaknesses
While not too terribly cliche, nothing felt especially fresh about this vampire tale. Old vampire thinks of vampires as godly and that the blood lust is unavoidable; young vampire struggles to retain his humanity. There are definitely some interesting elements of the story and while not necessarily new ideas, Rowan approaches the idea with confidence and from a slightly unique angle.
Even understanding the need for it, the beginning of the story is very slow to open as it develops the characters and the situation. Some may find this too slow and lose interest before the action starts. I didn't mind, but it took a little to keep me going, and this definitely wasn't a page-turner until near the end.
Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.
A classic tale of a young man's attraction to a vampire ending with a question of humanity and whether vampires are still of the same stock from which they were born. Ink is a slowly building story that uses a third person omniscient perspective that mainly sticks to the two main characters. The story was fairly good, the writing the same, but I had difficulty really getting into it. This teeters on an Insta-Love edge, but the way it was handled keeps it from being too terrible an example. A pleasant overall read, those who devour vampire novels may enjoy it especially.
Strengths
While there are elements that I really couldn't grab and character moments that made me raise a brow, I really loved some parts of the characters. Abby especially was a delight, the only one in this whole story with her head screwed on right! Dominic has his moments, but Abby pegged him rightly as a Louis character, and Michael, while mostly sensible and a good guy, sometimes seems to be playing the role the author set out for him. Galen (see "dark specter" above), was a surprise and I enjoyed his depth for being a late-appearing villain.
Along those same lines, the ending surprised me, but didn't necessarily disappoint. The epilogue made me raise a brow, but I also liked the sense of mystery it left in the wake of the resolution. Compared to the slow beginning, the ending seemed almost rushed, although there wasn't much to be done to extend it, either. Still, I was satisfied, if not a little sad, to see the way the story went. Also, I loved the role tattoos and markings played in the story.
I really love the cover. It's arty and dark with a strong fantastical feel that really caught my eye. Elements of it relate to the content of the novel without strictly sticking to it.
Weaknesses
While not too terribly cliche, nothing felt especially fresh about this vampire tale. Old vampire thinks of vampires as godly and that the blood lust is unavoidable; young vampire struggles to retain his humanity. There are definitely some interesting elements of the story and while not necessarily new ideas, Rowan approaches the idea with confidence and from a slightly unique angle.
Even understanding the need for it, the beginning of the story is very slow to open as it develops the characters and the situation. Some may find this too slow and lose interest before the action starts. I didn't mind, but it took a little to keep me going, and this definitely wasn't a page-turner until near the end.
Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.
April 28, 2013
And so we go from Fielding's Night Shift, where my faith was restored in an mm writer's ability to, well, write, to this which, having learned my lesson skim reading two Evangeline Anderson books and one JR Ward, I have in fact abandoned.
Why? Well, I probably could have put up with the premise - obligatory lonely and brooding vampire Dominic pining after spunky young tattoo artist Michael. Points for narrative hook there because if a vampire obsessed with tattoos isn't an instant recipe for self-destructive trouble I don't know what is. I mean, what a great classic set up - the one thing the character can't stop himself from doing is the one thing that will put him in danger while simultaneously being the one thing that he never knew he needed in order to be free/happy/etc.
Sadly, things started out hinting at this and then quickly devolved into this wishy-washy "let me be with you" "no I must not for I will destroy you and yet I want you like no other blar-blar blar" drama. Honestly, I have nothing against a little bit of tragic romance but this resulted in zero believable narrative tension. I'm not sure if this was because it was set in the Australian gothic subculture where said denizens are apparently totally ok with all things supernatural and would never react with fear, horror or disbelief at having scary shit happening to them (yes that was a said with a touch of sarcasm), but all this cool acceptance of Dominic's being a creature of the night and messing with their minds and all that just undermined the whole set up.
On top of that the other deal-breaker for me was a constant and undelineated shift in POV. I find this kind of thing both incredibly annoying and hard to follow as well as evidence of immature writing - being unable to or choosing not to maintain one POV in a single scene leads me to assume the writer will similarly not be able to control their narrative structure. There's a place for POV change and it's not mid paragraph.
I suppose in contrast I should take back some of the things I said about EA and JRW; at least their stories were interesting enough to keep me skim reading. This time, I couldn't even force myself to do that. I wonder if Dreamspinner will give me my money back?
Why? Well, I probably could have put up with the premise - obligatory lonely and brooding vampire Dominic pining after spunky young tattoo artist Michael. Points for narrative hook there because if a vampire obsessed with tattoos isn't an instant recipe for self-destructive trouble I don't know what is. I mean, what a great classic set up - the one thing the character can't stop himself from doing is the one thing that will put him in danger while simultaneously being the one thing that he never knew he needed in order to be free/happy/etc.
Sadly, things started out hinting at this and then quickly devolved into this wishy-washy "let me be with you" "no I must not for I will destroy you and yet I want you like no other blar-blar blar" drama. Honestly, I have nothing against a little bit of tragic romance but this resulted in zero believable narrative tension. I'm not sure if this was because it was set in the Australian gothic subculture where said denizens are apparently totally ok with all things supernatural and would never react with fear, horror or disbelief at having scary shit happening to them (yes that was a said with a touch of sarcasm), but all this cool acceptance of Dominic's being a creature of the night and messing with their minds and all that just undermined the whole set up.
On top of that the other deal-breaker for me was a constant and undelineated shift in POV. I find this kind of thing both incredibly annoying and hard to follow as well as evidence of immature writing - being unable to or choosing not to maintain one POV in a single scene leads me to assume the writer will similarly not be able to control their narrative structure. There's a place for POV change and it's not mid paragraph.
I suppose in contrast I should take back some of the things I said about EA and JRW; at least their stories were interesting enough to keep me skim reading. This time, I couldn't even force myself to do that. I wonder if Dreamspinner will give me my money back?
March 30, 2012
What a surprising book. I have to admit I read this book not expecting to be engaged, much to my surprise the book grabbed me and reeled me in...I was 'caught'!
Description:
Roman centurion Dominic drew his last human breath during the time of Hadrian. In the centuries since, he’s seen much of the world change around him, but the vampire finds himself held captive in Melbourne, Australia, by his fascination with young, passionate, fun-loving, and alive tattoo artist Michael Chapman. Unable to resist the lure of Michael’s beauty, Dominic finds himself entering the parlor to get a tattoo he knows will fade.
The attraction he feels only grows, and despite Dominic’s extreme reluctance to get involved with a human, he and Michael form a bond—a connection that all too soon attracts the attention of a dark specter from Dominic’s bloody past. Soon, a dangerous game of cat and mouse threatens not only the budding romance, but also their humanity.
My Thoughts:
The author wrote this with passion and is truly talented at crafting characters that easy to relate to. The story starts out a bit shaky but revs up within the first chapter and from there it is full speed ahead. This is a m/m pnr so for those who do not like that genre you may want to steer clear but if you like m/m and you like vampires...you like me will adore this book....I give it a solid 4.5 stars!..and encourage you all to read it.
Description:
Roman centurion Dominic drew his last human breath during the time of Hadrian. In the centuries since, he’s seen much of the world change around him, but the vampire finds himself held captive in Melbourne, Australia, by his fascination with young, passionate, fun-loving, and alive tattoo artist Michael Chapman. Unable to resist the lure of Michael’s beauty, Dominic finds himself entering the parlor to get a tattoo he knows will fade.
The attraction he feels only grows, and despite Dominic’s extreme reluctance to get involved with a human, he and Michael form a bond—a connection that all too soon attracts the attention of a dark specter from Dominic’s bloody past. Soon, a dangerous game of cat and mouse threatens not only the budding romance, but also their humanity.
My Thoughts:
The author wrote this with passion and is truly talented at crafting characters that easy to relate to. The story starts out a bit shaky but revs up within the first chapter and from there it is full speed ahead. This is a m/m pnr so for those who do not like that genre you may want to steer clear but if you like m/m and you like vampires...you like me will adore this book....I give it a solid 4.5 stars!..and encourage you all to read it.
dnf
July 14, 2015DNF 33%
I almost gave up on this at 15%. I think that's when it goes from being passable with a chance of improvement to...well, not. I have four main problems that keep me from enjoying and finishing this book. 1. It's mostly tell, not show. 2. Everything moves far to quickly and is far too intense for two men who JUST MET. 3. No one responds appropriately to the vampire. They all just calmly talk about it, like it's normal. 4. Far too many things/feelings/decision/actions are explained as, 'he didn't know why, but..." I don't want mysterious, unexplained impetuses to be the driving force of a book.
I think there is a chance that the vampire bonding method could turn out to be interesting. That's what kept me reading past 15%, but I just can't bear to read anymore to find out. What a waste of a great cover.
I almost gave up on this at 15%. I think that's when it goes from being passable with a chance of improvement to...well, not. I have four main problems that keep me from enjoying and finishing this book. 1. It's mostly tell, not show. 2. Everything moves far to quickly and is far too intense for two men who JUST MET. 3. No one responds appropriately to the vampire. They all just calmly talk about it, like it's normal. 4. Far too many things/feelings/decision/actions are explained as, 'he didn't know why, but..." I don't want mysterious, unexplained impetuses to be the driving force of a book.
I think there is a chance that the vampire bonding method could turn out to be interesting. That's what kept me reading past 15%, but I just can't bear to read anymore to find out. What a waste of a great cover.
January 26, 2012
This one left me feeling a little mixed as to whether I liked it or not. There were moments where I couldn’t get enough of Michael and Dominic’s growing relationship, and other times when I wished something would hurry up and happen. I enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second half of the book. The introduction of Dominic’s psycho ex, and maker, took the book off course, becoming more focussed on the past than on the interesting changes going on in the present. But the Australian setting was a welcome change, providing enough of a description without becoming lost in the words.
Read full review at Demons Read Too
Read full review at Demons Read Too
dnf
August 13, 2013I chose not to rate this one as I couldn't make it past about 32% of the book. It just wasn't for me. The premise sounded good, and I enjoyed the first couple chapters that the sample provided. But the further I got into the book, the more annoyed I became and just decided to DNF it. Which is very rare for me. Typically if I start something I'm determined to finish it, but not this time. I actually returned it to Amazon, which is a first for me.
I'm not quite sure why, as I've read several insta-love stories in the past, but this one made me roll my eyes, repeatedly. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it, maybe I didn't give it enough of a chance. I don't know. Whatever it was, it just wasn't for me.
I'm not quite sure why, as I've read several insta-love stories in the past, but this one made me roll my eyes, repeatedly. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it, maybe I didn't give it enough of a chance. I don't know. Whatever it was, it just wasn't for me.
December 21, 2011
I liked the first part, which I had already read in the anthology ''Desire Beyond Death'', and that's why I bought the book. But the second part didn't add that much, in fact it was at times a bit boring.
The head-hopping wasn't so virulent like in ''A Note in the Margin'' (which none the less got 4 stars from me), but it is still there.
I forgot to comment on the cover by Anne Cain: wonderfully made to lure readers...
The head-hopping wasn't so virulent like in ''A Note in the Margin'' (which none the less got 4 stars from me), but it is still there.
I forgot to comment on the cover by Anne Cain: wonderfully made to lure readers...
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