Everyone’s heard of Becca Wiley’s kickass inking skills, including the Master at a local BDSM club. He wants her to ink his subs with ultraviolet possession tattoos in exchange for enough money to pay her mortgage for six months—if she can pass an audition. All she needs is a human canvas.
For Chad Harrington, the last few weeks haven’t been a barrel of fun where his friendsonly relationship with Becca is concerned. He’s ready for more, and what better way to say “I’m your man” than by offering a fresh patch of flesh for her audition, while safeguarding her from any other plans the Master may have in store?
Becca is shocked by her response to the eroticism at the club, but not as much as her reaction to Chad’s unexpected kiss and bold, scorching caresses. In less time than he can say “on your knees”, she learns what she’s been missing. And knows she wants more.
M.A. Ellis is a firm believer that everyone should pursue their dreams…no matter how long it takes to achieve them. She wrote her first short story, What I Want To Be When I Grow Up, more than a few decades ago. It was read by a total of seven people. (For those who are interested, the answer to that intriguing statement was a toss up between a veterinarian and a nun.)
Thanks to the encouragement of a creative writing guru at Northern Kentucky University, she stepped out of her neat little writing boundaries and penned an erotic poem, which ultimately led her to the vastly stimulating world of erotic romance. It’s a vocation she truly loves—equally as rewarding as furry, four-legged creatures and a heck of a lot more entertaining than Friday nights at the nunnery.
When not devoting her time to crafting tales of hot encounters and steamy romances that always have a happy ending, M.A. concentrates on the delightful task of honing her master baking skills, eagerly focusing on the realms of cheesecake and chocolate which are, in her humble opinion, the only ‘c’ words that matter.
She lives in northwestern Pennsylvania where temperatures rival those of Ice Station Zebra a good portion of the year—making it the perfect arena for devising stories where one spark can ignite a welcomed inferno.
When two friends decide the time is right for more than just jovial banter will fireworks explode?
Becca is one seriously talented tattoo artist. Her skills are widely sought after and adored by many. She also has one serious crush on her hot friend, Chad. To say that she’d like a bit of bedroom action with him is putting it mildly. She’s desperate for it.
But does he feel the same? It takes an invitation to a BDSM club to create some ultraviolet possession tattoos that finally gives the couple the kick up the butt they need to get it on, and in the mean time, get themselves tangled in a weirdly messed up master and his harem of slaves, a situation that borders on just-damn-dangerous.
It took me a while to get into Deeper Than Ink. The cover hooked me initially, its gorgeous - I love the guy’s smile – but there seemed to be a lot ‘telling’ while I learnt about Becca’s background and skills and her relationship with Chad. But when the couple finally admitted their feelings for each other, boy did it have my attention in a big way. The well-crafted sex scene was long and indulgent and I certainly could see why Becca had the hots for Chad, there was something very real about him, both vulnerable and masterful, it was a delicious combination. The dynamics in their relationship was page-turning.
The secondary story, about the BDSM club, didn’t grab me as much as the Becca/Chad part of the novel. It kind of simmered away; the characters, while nicely described, didn’t draw me into their world, and the ending to their ordeal was a bit fast considering how well the tension had been built. I would have enjoyed a little more good guy/bad guy action at that moment, then the resolution.
In summary Ms Ellis has certainly written a good addition to the ‘Pricked’ line that Ellora’s Cave offers. The characters are very likeable and real, the hero in particular is adorable, there were a few moments I was definitely jealous of Becca! The book is a nice length, enough to get your teeth into and if you like a little mild BDSM and a touch of mystery mixed into a sweet erotic romance the Deeper Than Ink is a book for you.
Augh, though this is interesting, I read it in a wrong time and it was cut in a wrong time. :) not much to say but i wish Chad said the words back to Becca. :D
What a fun book. I think it was priced too high though. It should have been in the $1.99-$2.99 range. Lets see, a quick rundown of the story.
Becca is a tattoo artist. A really good tattoo artist. And she has a personal rule that she has decided she will not date any of her clients even though she has been tempted a few times. Except she has been debating on whether she should throw her rule out the window when it comes to one client in particular. Chad. He came in to get get a memorial tattoo and they became great friends, but she can't help from feeling more and more attracted to him the more she gets to know him.
That is not all there is to it, there is a little subplot involving a shady D/s club and UV tattoos. But the main gist is Becca and Chad becoming more than friends. It works nicely because they already know so much about each other. They are good together. They had a lot of good banter that made me smile. The author did a good job at creating an easiness between the two of them that made you feel their friendship. Which made it a smooth transition when they realized they loved each other.
One thing I liked about Chad was that he wasn't afraid to be a little silly. He was funny without it emasculating his character at all, but on the same token he had not problem turning into the dominate male role. He was a character that was easy to care for. Especially when the story was told from his point of view and you could see just how much he cared for Becca.
It was a fun read. I liked reading about another female tattoo artist.
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FAVORITE QUOTES
"And there she is. Standing at the counter, talking to the owner. I saw that long hair hanging nearly to the middle of her back. It was jet black then not red. She changes it as often as she changes her panties-"
"Hey!" Becca tried to pull her hands free, but he wouldn't let them budge.
"She had on a pair of jeans so snug I knew she couldn't be wearing panties."
"So that changes the whole switching-hair-color timeline," Dave added with a thoughtful nod.
Alright - the dude on the cover looks stoned, his eyes are barely open, and he's smirking big time.
Fav typo: "Becca had high hopes of dressing up and falling into a sushi comma."
I'm getting a little tired of the female tattoo artist who is really hot, is the most amazing tattoo artist ever, and just needs the right man to love her. Urgh. Just ok.
I liked the characters and I liked the story. My biggest complaint about this book is that it opened more doors than it had time to thoroughly close given its short length. So even though you weren't left hanging, you kind of were. Overall, a fun quick read. Fun enough that I wanted more.