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Ink
Eli Thompson is the once golden-boy son of Oak Island’s preacher. Since the death of his mother, Eli has fallen foul of everything his father holds dear – indulging in drink, drugs, women and men.
With a dark and desperate secret weighing on him, Eli is determined to lose himself to vice, no matter what the cost.
Daniel Fisher is a twenty-six year old high-school janitor. He spends his days cleaning the school, and his nights taking care of his seventeen-year-old brother, Cory. With an alcoholic father to support, Daniel’s plate is full, even before one of the school’s students decides to seduce him.
When Eli enters his life, Daniel is too lost in his own despair to consider the consequences of their fling, and as he grows closer to Eli, and to the boy’s damaged former choirboy persona, he realises that all is not as it seems with the teenager.
However, neither of them knows the secret that connects them and their families. A secret that will eventual break their hearts afresh, and test their new relationship to its limits.
A secret that lies in their very blood.
With a dark and desperate secret weighing on him, Eli is determined to lose himself to vice, no matter what the cost.
Daniel Fisher is a twenty-six year old high-school janitor. He spends his days cleaning the school, and his nights taking care of his seventeen-year-old brother, Cory. With an alcoholic father to support, Daniel’s plate is full, even before one of the school’s students decides to seduce him.
When Eli enters his life, Daniel is too lost in his own despair to consider the consequences of their fling, and as he grows closer to Eli, and to the boy’s damaged former choirboy persona, he realises that all is not as it seems with the teenager.
However, neither of them knows the secret that connects them and their families. A secret that will eventual break their hearts afresh, and test their new relationship to its limits.
A secret that lies in their very blood.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 9, 2011
5 people are currently reading
664 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Goodwin
22 books754 followersAlso writing as Amy Cunningham (The Serial Killer's Party) and Amelia Wildwood (rom-com coming in summer 2026)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 4, 2012
I can see why this is a polarizing novel. The characters are complex and come together in a kind of mobius strip of relationships. Goodwin handles very sensitive material in a gentle way. Nothing in here seems sensationalised. I believe in these characters and I read this world as real.
It's a story of men and their relationships with each other. There are zero female characters until the last 5%, and the only one who isn't incidental is the one who wants to destroy the relationships between the others.
One thing is clear: Sarah Goodwin can write. At its best this novel is spellbinding, weaving prose around you.
"In the fading light, naked, with the sea behind him, he looks like an entirely new kind of creature."
"...desire uncurling like a foreign flower, all thick scarlet tongues and rich, black stamens."
"...the slow dimming of a lighted match as the pleasure ran and left him itching and aching for more."
Sadly, the best is rare, and appears mainly in the first 15%. In other places the writing descends to platitudes and cliches. The hardest of these to ignore is the constant fan-fictiony "the older man", "the younger man", "the blond teen".
You know how Peter Jackson is a director who does not do happy well? He's good at dark and twisted orcs and olliphants, but he fails at elven sorceresses. Well I get the feeling that Goodwin is a writer who depicts falling apart exceptionally well, and coming together again, not yet. She undoubtedly will. I was riveted to the page until the MCs got together, and then at times I struggled to keep focus.
God, I hope she keeps writing: I expect incandescently good things from her. She will be an auto-buy for me, despite the fact I was ultimately disappointed with the story. Not with the plot or the characters but with the fact that it started out so good and then she pulled that away from me.
One part of becoming a better writer will be Goodwin getting an editor. A real editor, not a copy editor (although one of these would be good too. Hint: a councillor attends councils and a counsellor counsels people).
It's 99 cents. It's not happy. There is no cute. If you like your m/m gritty then I absolutely recommend this.
3 stars for the overall book, plus 1 for potential.
It's a story of men and their relationships with each other. There are zero female characters until the last 5%, and the only one who isn't incidental is the one who wants to destroy the relationships between the others.
One thing is clear: Sarah Goodwin can write. At its best this novel is spellbinding, weaving prose around you.
"In the fading light, naked, with the sea behind him, he looks like an entirely new kind of creature."
"...desire uncurling like a foreign flower, all thick scarlet tongues and rich, black stamens."
"...the slow dimming of a lighted match as the pleasure ran and left him itching and aching for more."
Sadly, the best is rare, and appears mainly in the first 15%. In other places the writing descends to platitudes and cliches. The hardest of these to ignore is the constant fan-fictiony "the older man", "the younger man", "the blond teen".
You know how Peter Jackson is a director who does not do happy well? He's good at dark and twisted orcs and olliphants, but he fails at elven sorceresses. Well I get the feeling that Goodwin is a writer who depicts falling apart exceptionally well, and coming together again, not yet. She undoubtedly will. I was riveted to the page until the MCs got together, and then at times I struggled to keep focus.
God, I hope she keeps writing: I expect incandescently good things from her. She will be an auto-buy for me, despite the fact I was ultimately disappointed with the story. Not with the plot or the characters but with the fact that it started out so good and then she pulled that away from me.
One part of becoming a better writer will be Goodwin getting an editor. A real editor, not a copy editor (although one of these would be good too. Hint: a councillor attends councils and a counsellor counsels people).
It's 99 cents. It's not happy. There is no cute. If you like your m/m gritty then I absolutely recommend this.
3 stars for the overall book, plus 1 for potential.
July 29, 2012
Wow. I don't even know what to say really about this book. It's not going to be for everyone (seriously, read the blurb and you'll understand why) but holy cow, I hope that doesn't stop people. While this book does have an HEA (a quiet one, at that) it's a dark read to get to that point. Good lord, I'm kind of speechless.
January 27, 2013
I think some really great authors become lost amongst the more established writers in this genre because as a rule the cheaper the book, the less notice it is given because without being awful a lot of the free or cheaper self published books tend to be offerings of a lesser quality, or lets be honest just plain old erotica with little story and lots of smutty sex! Sarah Goodwin knocks that preconception right out of the box. She writes about subjects that are controversial - in this she pairs Eli, a 17 year old drug taking, sexually provocative troubled teen with Daniel, a 27 year old school janitor who has problems himself, including an alcoholic father and a brother the same age as Eli. Both damaged souls who get together initially because of a sexual encounter, try to resist their attraction because of the age taboo but then begin to connect on a much deeper - more healing level even though more controversial secrets are revealed that could effect not only their relationship, but those close to them. These are compelling, raw stories which whilst not easy, once started, are hard to put down. Luckily there's an ending that makes finishing this intense novel well worth the read. I admit if you look too closely at the storyline there are some questionable elements but it still doesnt take away the fact that this is one very talented author and the prices of her books are unbelievably low for both their length and style. Thanks to Simon (the other reviewer) I found these looking on his profile/review page, otherwise I would have completely missed out on this and her other two books. I give it 5!!
February 9, 2013
I will no longer complain over my life.
Words alone can not adequately describe the emotional roller coaster that is these guys lives. They just could not catch a break!
This story was harsh, disturbing, sad, cruel, loving, hopeless, and hopeful.
I don't think I was prepared to read this in one sitting, or be writing my review at 4 am, but wow, I just could not sleep with this floating around in my head.
This story will not be for everyone...not even a little bit, but it will remain with me for long time.
Words alone can not adequately describe the emotional roller coaster that is these guys lives. They just could not catch a break!
This story was harsh, disturbing, sad, cruel, loving, hopeless, and hopeful.
I don't think I was prepared to read this in one sitting, or be writing my review at 4 am, but wow, I just could not sleep with this floating around in my head.
This story will not be for everyone...not even a little bit, but it will remain with me for long time.
Want to read
July 16, 2013UGH! Another freebie that I already bought! Well, free today at Amazon US! 7/16/13!
October 17, 2012
Oh wow this story was really emotional and very sad in a lot of ways. The book is well written and has a very powerful story in it. I have to say I loved the story, it felt weird to root for the couple it really did. The author drew me in though and she kept the story interesting through out the entire book. If I said the story was beautiful it might sound strange considering what its about, but saying that the way it is told makes it easy to feel for the characters and love them. Daniel was my favourite character consistently he was a good big brother and I really felt sorry for him. Eli was a complex character and it was hard to know how I felt about him. About half way through I fell in love with him. The secondary characters were great, all except for Mitchell and Brian. Even when Mitchell was dying I hated him. A great book and an excellent read, recommend it to anyone who would not find it too creepy.
April 29, 2013
The short of it:
Elijah is sabotaging his life with booze, drugs and sex. He barely knows he's alive when he becomes involved with an older man, older in years that is, and life gets even more complicated.
The warning I need to place here is there is an adult/child sexual relationship. If that bothers you, move along, you won't care that Elijah is 17, nearly 18. You need a very open mind to read this story.
There aren't very many stories that I find myself crying through. This one, however, did me in. May be due to recognizing my own experiences in the story. The best thing about this, even though people are flawed and relationships are flawed, there is something good that can come out of the bad actions, bad relationships and bad behaviors.
I quickly became vested in these two sad characters. It's a beautiful story even in the flaws of the subject.
Highly recommended for the dark erotic readers.
Elijah is sabotaging his life with booze, drugs and sex. He barely knows he's alive when he becomes involved with an older man, older in years that is, and life gets even more complicated.
The warning I need to place here is there is an adult/child sexual relationship. If that bothers you, move along, you won't care that Elijah is 17, nearly 18. You need a very open mind to read this story.
There aren't very many stories that I find myself crying through. This one, however, did me in. May be due to recognizing my own experiences in the story. The best thing about this, even though people are flawed and relationships are flawed, there is something good that can come out of the bad actions, bad relationships and bad behaviors.
I quickly became vested in these two sad characters. It's a beautiful story even in the flaws of the subject.
Highly recommended for the dark erotic readers.
July 18, 2012
This is my second book by Sarah Goodwin and I will buy any book that she writes. I enjoyed this book just as I did Me and Mine. I connected with the characters and felt for them through the entire book. It was just a overall good book with good writing and a good plot. 4.5
February 29, 2012
4.5 stars
If you haven't figured out what the big secret is, read the blurb again. I think it's pretty obvious. The story focuses on the consequences that have the addictions, not only for the addict themselves but for the people that stay by their side. The writer didn't sugarcoat it and pretend there can be something remotely good about drugs abuse. However painful as it was, it's also about self-improvement, regret, second chances and, of course, love. I wouldn't change a word. My only complaint is the punctuation errors; you can't write As Hellen approached the tree. She knew there was... Err nope.
If you haven't figured out what the big secret is, read the blurb again. I think it's pretty obvious. The story focuses on the consequences that have the addictions, not only for the addict themselves but for the people that stay by their side. The writer didn't sugarcoat it and pretend there can be something remotely good about drugs abuse. However painful as it was, it's also about self-improvement, regret, second chances and, of course, love. I wouldn't change a word. My only complaint is the punctuation errors; you can't write As Hellen approached the tree. She knew there was... Err nope.
September 11, 2012
3.25 stars. The bones of a good story are here. With some editing, it could have been a great story. I really enjoy this author's gritty, angsty style, though, and I'll continue to buy whatever she writes.
July 14, 2012
This is a difficult book to review without giving away key plot points; there’s a twist that occurs about one-third of the way through the story that TOTALLY surprised me. (But then, okay, I’ll admit that I’m not the most astute reader.) However, since this key plot point resonates throughout the entire book, there’s a lot I simply cannot speak of without ruining it for other readers.
There are a few things I can speak of, however, and one of those is the “ick factor.” I wasn’t very impressed with the book for the first couple of chapters---Eli’s story was so sad and seedy and I was thinking this was going to dwell on his unpleasant sexual escapades and descent into a sordid life of sex, drugs, and booze. And that’s simply not the sort of story I’m interested in reading. But the tone changed soon enough---I think the reader was given a shock right from the beginning, to show just how unhappy Eli was, before we begin to learn what happened to turn him into this sort of person. But the ick factor makes itself known again when 17-year-old Eli takes up with 26-year-old Daniel. I instantly had a moral problem with the age difference, because as a rule I don’t think such a relationship would be healthy for either man. People tend to go through huge changes in emotional maturity in their late teens/early twenties, and a relationship with an older fellow at such a young age as 17 is fraught with potential problems. Now, once a fellow is in his mid-twenties I don’t have a problem with him hooking up with an older fellow (though again, whether such a relationship is healthy depends on the mental/emotional states of both parties involved).
However, my fears were soon put to rest. While this was not a conventional relationship, I could see why each man went into it---both had their own set of personal difficulties that led them to be attracted to the other. And in no way would I classify Daniel as a predator---it isn’t like he’s a fellow who focuses on teenage boys. While I still don’t think he was wise to take Eli up on his initial offer, I can see why he did it…. Well, it’s all part of the story….
(Quite apart from the moral questions about this relationship, however, were the legal ones. It is not specified where the story takes place, but it’s suggested that such a relationship isn’t legal. Oddly enough, the legality of it didn’t bother me as much as my initial moral reservations. I was curious, and looked it up---in fact, the official age of consent in the vast majority of North America is anywhere between the ages of 12 and 17. Whoa---12 seems young to me, but I don’t have a problem with 16 being a good average. Far as I can tell, there are only 11 states in the US where the age of consent is 18 years of age---everywhere else in North America it is lower than that.)
Now, I did have some questions about some aspects of the plot. I didn’t quite buy Eli’s descent into his new sordid life. He has a dark secret that caused him to crash---something that occurred simultaneously with the death of his mother. Now, I can see why both events happening together would cause him severe emotional distress, leading to problems and an inability to move on with his life. However, when it comes right down to it, I didn’t think his secret ---while very upsetting---really was all THAT terrible. This is a kid who has lived all his life in a stable, loving home---and he still has a father who wants nothing but the best for him. And I just didn’t buy that he would instantly become a basket case and overnight turn from a happy well-adjusted honour student to a sleazy sex addict (with the pills and booze on the side).
Likewise, I didn’t buy the fact that his father basically just stands aside and wrings his hands and watches it all happen without taking strong measures to help his son. Heck, the kid is still living at home and totally dependent on his dad---I can’t believe that the father didn’t force him to go for counseling or treatment of some kind.
Also, I found it nearly impossible to believe that Daniel and his younger brother would not have been permanently removed from the custody of their father a good fifteen years before this story began. It just isn't possible, in my opinion, that things would have unfolded the way they did in this novel. If the kids weren't made wards of the state, WHY on earth didn't Cal (a family friend who had good reason to want to keep an eye on the kids) take them in? It doesn't make sense.
So, a couple of caveats there about the mechanics of the plot. But overall, I ended up liking this story much more than I thought I would when I started it. Oh, it still has rather too much sad or unpleasant content for my taste, but it has an upbeat and positive ending which is a plus. However---- there is one other VERY BIG THING about the plot that is just begging to be discussed in detail---but I can’t say a word for fear of spoilers!
This is a difficult one to rate---I don't think I'd go as high as four stars, but three seems too low.
There are a few things I can speak of, however, and one of those is the “ick factor.” I wasn’t very impressed with the book for the first couple of chapters---Eli’s story was so sad and seedy and I was thinking this was going to dwell on his unpleasant sexual escapades and descent into a sordid life of sex, drugs, and booze. And that’s simply not the sort of story I’m interested in reading. But the tone changed soon enough---I think the reader was given a shock right from the beginning, to show just how unhappy Eli was, before we begin to learn what happened to turn him into this sort of person. But the ick factor makes itself known again when 17-year-old Eli takes up with 26-year-old Daniel. I instantly had a moral problem with the age difference, because as a rule I don’t think such a relationship would be healthy for either man. People tend to go through huge changes in emotional maturity in their late teens/early twenties, and a relationship with an older fellow at such a young age as 17 is fraught with potential problems. Now, once a fellow is in his mid-twenties I don’t have a problem with him hooking up with an older fellow (though again, whether such a relationship is healthy depends on the mental/emotional states of both parties involved).
However, my fears were soon put to rest. While this was not a conventional relationship, I could see why each man went into it---both had their own set of personal difficulties that led them to be attracted to the other. And in no way would I classify Daniel as a predator---it isn’t like he’s a fellow who focuses on teenage boys. While I still don’t think he was wise to take Eli up on his initial offer, I can see why he did it…. Well, it’s all part of the story….
(Quite apart from the moral questions about this relationship, however, were the legal ones. It is not specified where the story takes place, but it’s suggested that such a relationship isn’t legal. Oddly enough, the legality of it didn’t bother me as much as my initial moral reservations. I was curious, and looked it up---in fact, the official age of consent in the vast majority of North America is anywhere between the ages of 12 and 17. Whoa---12 seems young to me, but I don’t have a problem with 16 being a good average. Far as I can tell, there are only 11 states in the US where the age of consent is 18 years of age---everywhere else in North America it is lower than that.)
Now, I did have some questions about some aspects of the plot. I didn’t quite buy Eli’s descent into his new sordid life. He has a dark secret that caused him to crash---something that occurred simultaneously with the death of his mother. Now, I can see why both events happening together would cause him severe emotional distress, leading to problems and an inability to move on with his life. However, when it comes right down to it, I didn’t think his secret ---while very upsetting---really was all THAT terrible. This is a kid who has lived all his life in a stable, loving home---and he still has a father who wants nothing but the best for him. And I just didn’t buy that he would instantly become a basket case and overnight turn from a happy well-adjusted honour student to a sleazy sex addict (with the pills and booze on the side).
Likewise, I didn’t buy the fact that his father basically just stands aside and wrings his hands and watches it all happen without taking strong measures to help his son. Heck, the kid is still living at home and totally dependent on his dad---I can’t believe that the father didn’t force him to go for counseling or treatment of some kind.
Also, I found it nearly impossible to believe that Daniel and his younger brother would not have been permanently removed from the custody of their father a good fifteen years before this story began. It just isn't possible, in my opinion, that things would have unfolded the way they did in this novel. If the kids weren't made wards of the state, WHY on earth didn't Cal (a family friend who had good reason to want to keep an eye on the kids) take them in? It doesn't make sense.
So, a couple of caveats there about the mechanics of the plot. But overall, I ended up liking this story much more than I thought I would when I started it. Oh, it still has rather too much sad or unpleasant content for my taste, but it has an upbeat and positive ending which is a plus. However---- there is one other VERY BIG THING about the plot that is just begging to be discussed in detail---but I can’t say a word for fear of spoilers!
This is a difficult one to rate---I don't think I'd go as high as four stars, but three seems too low.
February 16, 2013
This wasn't anything like I thought it would be pretty much right from the get go. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but it sucked me right in. I felt for each character in different ways, and wanted to see them make things work. There are a few twists, and even though this isn't a real romancy romance, it was easy to see Eli and Daniel cared for each other. Overall, even giving the issues going on here, this was a very enjoyable story.
October 29, 2012
ABSOLUTELY LOVED!! So much emotion in only 204 pages. Will write a review at a later time but, man, I would love to read a sequel.
August 23, 2012
This book y'all...how does this woman create characters in situations that I should despise but I end loving them and rooting for them?
July 6, 2018
Phew. There is a lot going on in this and what begins as quite the seductive read quickly turns dark as these characters deal with their addictions and trapped lives. But what transpires is just beautiful and not your typical romance. I loved all of our main characters, how they are intertwined and what constitutes family and love is quite thought provoking. I ended up loving all the father figures in this. Michael especially. And while his actions may seem over the top in terms of acceptance...I have to believe that as a loving parent you’d do and want anything to see your child happy...and that’s exactly what he does.
This book is now available for free on the author’s website ... https://sarahlgoodwin.wordpress.com/t...
...and while an excellent story there are a lot of typos and overall editing issues. So just look past these elements and see the beauty of the story within.
Highly recommended.
This book is now available for free on the author’s website ... https://sarahlgoodwin.wordpress.com/t...
...and while an excellent story there are a lot of typos and overall editing issues. So just look past these elements and see the beauty of the story within.
Highly recommended.
September 18, 2021
Grey with a tinge of sunrise.
I have had this on my reading list for ages. The mixed reviews kept putting me off. Then I read a Mercy Celeste book that had even worse reviews. I loved that book. I figured now was my time to take a chance on ‘Ink’.
My initial impressions were neutral. Decent writing but the sex scenes were a bit meh. A bit further in and I started to comprehend what this story was really about. More family drama than taboo romance. A bit of a coming of age story about Daniel plus the evolution of the family unit as the book progressed. Michael was an unexpected surprise. I know it’s unlikely but I would love to read a sequel to this. It just feels like there is so much more to be seen now that this new family has started to escape the darkness.
I have had this on my reading list for ages. The mixed reviews kept putting me off. Then I read a Mercy Celeste book that had even worse reviews. I loved that book. I figured now was my time to take a chance on ‘Ink’.
My initial impressions were neutral. Decent writing but the sex scenes were a bit meh. A bit further in and I started to comprehend what this story was really about. More family drama than taboo romance. A bit of a coming of age story about Daniel plus the evolution of the family unit as the book progressed. Michael was an unexpected surprise. I know it’s unlikely but I would love to read a sequel to this. It just feels like there is so much more to be seen now that this new family has started to escape the darkness.
August 6, 2013
My thoughts are so confused and contradictory after finishing this book last night that I'm having a lot of difficulty writing the review. Let's see if I can make at least some sense.
First of all, Sarah Goodwin has talent to spare. She does an excellent job bringing the characters and the setting to life. My imagination had no trouble whatsoever being where she wanted me to be, during the telling of this story. Daniel, Eli/Elijah, Cory, and Michael all had my heart wrapped around their pinkie fingers within a few lines of each character's introduction.
The story itself is, for the most part, well-written, original and believable. There are chances to take the easy way out, to fall into the cliché, to use and abuse the tried and true structure of romance, in order to turn out a commercially popular plot. The author doesn't give in to those temptations and, instead, tells a gritty, painful, but realistic story of descent into hell, and redemption. The main conflict, and what a conflict it is, gets treated with the seriousness it deserves. The sex scenes are all necessary, each one helps move the plot forward and develop the characters. Not to mention, the content is original (not easy to find in this genre), and incandescently hot. I mean...the a/c (among other things) got a workout while I was reading this.
What caused this book to drop from being one of my all-time favorites is the surprisingly disappointing end. For 200 pages, we'd been immersed in the almost day-to-day details of the excruciatingly painful journey these guys have taken, to get to a glimmer of a possibility for relief. And then, for some unknown reason, we get a "wham-bam-thank you-M'am" kind of epilogue, all general and impersonal, as if looking down from 35,000 ft in the air, and that's it. The End.
Uh. WHAT? No F*cking Way.
So, yeah. That's what killed it for me. To finish off any hope I might have had, the author has not written, nor seems to be considering, a sequel. I might have grudgingly accepted that darned sterile summary ending if there was hope for another book, giving us a satisfyingly long and angsty look at Daniel and Elijah's journey into HEA. But nope. No such thing in the cards. That's all she wrote, literally. I'm screwed.
Others have done a better job of reviewing this story than I ever could, as conflicted as I feel about it, so please take a look at Emma's review for a more coherent evaluation of this work.
First of all, Sarah Goodwin has talent to spare. She does an excellent job bringing the characters and the setting to life. My imagination had no trouble whatsoever being where she wanted me to be, during the telling of this story. Daniel, Eli/Elijah, Cory, and Michael all had my heart wrapped around their pinkie fingers within a few lines of each character's introduction.
The story itself is, for the most part, well-written, original and believable. There are chances to take the easy way out, to fall into the cliché, to use and abuse the tried and true structure of romance, in order to turn out a commercially popular plot. The author doesn't give in to those temptations and, instead, tells a gritty, painful, but realistic story of descent into hell, and redemption. The main conflict, and what a conflict it is, gets treated with the seriousness it deserves. The sex scenes are all necessary, each one helps move the plot forward and develop the characters. Not to mention, the content is original (not easy to find in this genre), and incandescently hot. I mean...the a/c (among other things) got a workout while I was reading this.
What caused this book to drop from being one of my all-time favorites is the surprisingly disappointing end. For 200 pages, we'd been immersed in the almost day-to-day details of the excruciatingly painful journey these guys have taken, to get to a glimmer of a possibility for relief. And then, for some unknown reason, we get a "wham-bam-thank you-M'am" kind of epilogue, all general and impersonal, as if looking down from 35,000 ft in the air, and that's it. The End.
Uh. WHAT? No F*cking Way.
So, yeah. That's what killed it for me. To finish off any hope I might have had, the author has not written, nor seems to be considering, a sequel. I might have grudgingly accepted that darned sterile summary ending if there was hope for another book, giving us a satisfyingly long and angsty look at Daniel and Elijah's journey into HEA. But nope. No such thing in the cards. That's all she wrote, literally. I'm screwed.
Others have done a better job of reviewing this story than I ever could, as conflicted as I feel about it, so please take a look at Emma's review for a more coherent evaluation of this work.
May 29, 2015
5 stars on the premise.
2.5 stars on the execution/editing.
I thank the author for allowing us to download INK from her website. I hope someday she tries to republish it. I've been in Blocked Hell via Amazon a few times myself, and I feel her pain.
The bones of the story were amazing. If I could rate the book on just that alone, I'd hand out 5 stars in a heartbeat. I adored Sarah Goodwin's voice, her character development, and the unique and intriguing premise. I was kept on the edge of my seat for most of the first half of the book.
But I took issue with the editing (not only proofreading, but things a seasoned editor would have pointed out immediately) I read 3/4th of the book not knowing where it took place, assuming somewhere in England by the spelling and word usages, so I was a bit shocked to find Cal's home was in Tennessee. Little things like the use of metre instead of mile wore on me after a bit. Also, Mother/Mom/Dad/Father was capitalized no matter what, which I found jarring. Editing-wise, the book seemed to meander around the halfway mark without the direction of an editor to reel the author in.
INK was no longer about Eli & Daniel, and more about Mitchell/Michael/Cal/Cory, with a few unnecessary story threads slowing down the pacing to boring levels and taking away what made INK the intriguing read it was. While making the INK more it became bogged down with the lives of side characters. I understand why the author wrote it as thus, but I didn't enjoy it.
This is just my opinion, stating why I couldn't hand out a 5 star rating, no matter how desperately I wished to do so.
2.5 stars on the execution/editing.
I thank the author for allowing us to download INK from her website. I hope someday she tries to republish it. I've been in Blocked Hell via Amazon a few times myself, and I feel her pain.
The bones of the story were amazing. If I could rate the book on just that alone, I'd hand out 5 stars in a heartbeat. I adored Sarah Goodwin's voice, her character development, and the unique and intriguing premise. I was kept on the edge of my seat for most of the first half of the book.
But I took issue with the editing (not only proofreading, but things a seasoned editor would have pointed out immediately) I read 3/4th of the book not knowing where it took place, assuming somewhere in England by the spelling and word usages, so I was a bit shocked to find Cal's home was in Tennessee. Little things like the use of metre instead of mile wore on me after a bit. Also, Mother/Mom/Dad/Father was capitalized no matter what, which I found jarring. Editing-wise, the book seemed to meander around the halfway mark without the direction of an editor to reel the author in.
INK was no longer about Eli & Daniel, and more about Mitchell/Michael/Cal/Cory, with a few unnecessary story threads slowing down the pacing to boring levels and taking away what made INK the intriguing read it was. While making the INK more it became bogged down with the lives of side characters. I understand why the author wrote it as thus, but I didn't enjoy it.
This is just my opinion, stating why I couldn't hand out a 5 star rating, no matter how desperately I wished to do so.
April 16, 2019
DNF@52%
I had high hopes of this incestuous romance with a very promising blurb.
Then came the actual story. Bad case of editing. Ignored!
Bad case of double pov. Ignored!
Bad case of overly dramatic verses. Ignored!
But I don't think I can go on and ignore the preaching of a preacher for pro-incest while the MC freaks out. It's not that I expect the preacher to be the bigot most are made to be. The words he uses to compare his marriage to a pregnant woman and the love between two siblings are so crude and telenovella style, it's like I'm literally watching an eye rolling session of improv. The bad and boring kind of improv. Because just by showing acceptance, you don't give any weight to a story. The words here literally astray from a topic which is far more delicate than the crude way it's handled in the novel. I hated the way the characters have been framed. It's mostly the dialogues and the criss-cross writing.
Read it at your own discretion!
I had high hopes of this incestuous romance with a very promising blurb.
Then came the actual story. Bad case of editing. Ignored!
Bad case of double pov. Ignored!
Bad case of overly dramatic verses. Ignored!
But I don't think I can go on and ignore the preaching of a preacher for pro-incest while the MC freaks out. It's not that I expect the preacher to be the bigot most are made to be. The words he uses to compare his marriage to a pregnant woman and the love between two siblings are so crude and telenovella style, it's like I'm literally watching an eye rolling session of improv. The bad and boring kind of improv. Because just by showing acceptance, you don't give any weight to a story. The words here literally astray from a topic which is far more delicate than the crude way it's handled in the novel. I hated the way the characters have been framed. It's mostly the dialogues and the criss-cross writing.
Read it at your own discretion!
June 24, 2012
I just finished this book and I guess I am having trouble putting
my thoughts into words on this one. I am not by any stretch a great
book reviewer, I like what I like but this book unexpectedly made me
feel. I think everyone can find something in a character that resonates within them and Daniel is someone I get. His relationship with his father is something that really made me think. All of the characters in the book are deeply flawed in some way and I guess for me this book was no longer just about Daniel and Eli. It's a great book albeit not your typical HEA but the blurb kind of let's you know that going in. My only complaint would be that I wish the end didn't come so quickly.
my thoughts into words on this one. I am not by any stretch a great
book reviewer, I like what I like but this book unexpectedly made me
feel. I think everyone can find something in a character that resonates within them and Daniel is someone I get. His relationship with his father is something that really made me think. All of the characters in the book are deeply flawed in some way and I guess for me this book was no longer just about Daniel and Eli. It's a great book albeit not your typical HEA but the blurb kind of let's you know that going in. My only complaint would be that I wish the end didn't come so quickly.
January 24, 2013
Because of the title I thought tatooing would have been more of a theme through-out this novel. It wasn't, it seems to be a title to link a son and a father, I see no other reason, and that is a tenuous link.
I love this author's writing. She writes beautifully, and novels of a good and decent length. This is the third Sarah Goodwin I have read and I see a pattern to her writing. She follows themes of true love conquering.
Poverty, despair, deep emotional crisis, this is an exhausting emotional read, but one I thoroughly enjoyed.
A bargain to boot at 77p. I only give this novel 4 x stars as opposed to 5. The coincidences are a little extreme, but overall a great read.
I love this author's writing. She writes beautifully, and novels of a good and decent length. This is the third Sarah Goodwin I have read and I see a pattern to her writing. She follows themes of true love conquering.
Poverty, despair, deep emotional crisis, this is an exhausting emotional read, but one I thoroughly enjoyed.
A bargain to boot at 77p. I only give this novel 4 x stars as opposed to 5. The coincidences are a little extreme, but overall a great read.
February 16, 2024
2 stars
The first 15% showed great promise with beautifully-written seduction scenes, making me hopeful for another hidden gem of age gap romance, and then came the clichéd drama… The writing also slipped into the mediocre range. The incest plot was a total letdown.
The first 15% showed great promise with beautifully-written seduction scenes, making me hopeful for another hidden gem of age gap romance, and then came the clichéd drama… The writing also slipped into the mediocre range. The incest plot was a total letdown.
August 11, 2012
I don't have many words for this one.
It's not for everyone, but it's one hell of a book.
It's not for everyone, but it's one hell of a book.
June 2, 2025
B-A-N-A-N-A-S, this book is bananas. Holy cats.
June 30, 2015
I'm speechless
Ten star book
Ten star book
January 5, 2019
9/15/18 DNF at 12%
tried again 1/3/19 and finished...
Too much depressing stuff going on in this book. It took me 2 tries to read it. All the characters had some kind of depressing thing going on in their lives. Too much talk of vomit, drugs, sex. Parents that really weren’t parents, kids being parents, parents being friends instead of parents or friends instead of counsellors/preachers. And no one wants to follow the real counsellor’s advice once they actually saw one. It was just too much. And I didn't even address the incest part of the story (which is why I read it for a challenge involving incest). That might have been the most interesting part of the story but it was overshadowed by all the other issues. And you don’t need to be published to proofread or have a reader proofread for you. Since there's no longer a kindle version out there perhaps my pdf missed the proofreading step.
tried again 1/3/19 and finished...
Too much depressing stuff going on in this book. It took me 2 tries to read it. All the characters had some kind of depressing thing going on in their lives. Too much talk of vomit, drugs, sex. Parents that really weren’t parents, kids being parents, parents being friends instead of parents or friends instead of counsellors/preachers. And no one wants to follow the real counsellor’s advice once they actually saw one. It was just too much. And I didn't even address the incest part of the story (which is why I read it for a challenge involving incest). That might have been the most interesting part of the story but it was overshadowed by all the other issues. And you don’t need to be published to proofread or have a reader proofread for you. Since there's no longer a kindle version out there perhaps my pdf missed the proofreading step.
March 10, 2017
Daniel, in his twenties, is caring for his 17 year old brother Cory and alcoholic father. Eli has lost his mother and fallen into a pit of despair. Drinking, popping pills, and have sex with anyone willing, girls/boys/men/women/teachers etc. When Daniel starts work at his school as a janitor, Eli sets his eyes on him.
Despite the age difference (9 years), their relationship develops into love. And then, a bombshell is dropped on them. The book ended with what I would consider a HFN. There is still a lot of heartache and emotional wounds to be healed. But the three of them, Daniel, Cory and Elijah with the help of Cal and Michael (the man who raised Elijah) are making their way to a better life.
Despite the age difference (9 years), their relationship develops into love. And then, a bombshell is dropped on them. The book ended with what I would consider a HFN. There is still a lot of heartache and emotional wounds to be healed. But the three of them, Daniel, Cory and Elijah with the help of Cal and Michael (the man who raised Elijah) are making their way to a better life.
December 1, 2017
A lot of potential here. The author is very talented, and although the novel incurs in some mistakes (pov changes, tense consinstency, plot holes and some unlikely characters) I only ascribe them to the naivety of a still young writer. The first half works much better the the second, at some point the plot loses a bit of focus and some resolutions may look a bit too convenient, but I really appreciated this novel for its potential. If I may, I suggest an editor.
January 21, 2017
Note to self: This is available on the author's website
Very angsty. Difficult subject matter. Very realistic portrayal of the subject matter. Trying to figure out how to explain why I didn't give it 5 stars... it felt like the author started typing and let the story flow without an idea of how it would end. So it didn't quite wrap up as solidly as it could.
Very angsty. Difficult subject matter. Very realistic portrayal of the subject matter. Trying to figure out how to explain why I didn't give it 5 stars... it felt like the author started typing and let the story flow without an idea of how it would end. So it didn't quite wrap up as solidly as it could.
Read
June 13, 2020Dnf @45%
Plot is just too taboo for me. Like where are they even going with his. Too toxic man.
Plot is just too taboo for me. Like where are they even going with his. Too toxic man.
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