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Stories Beneath Our Skin
Tattooing might have once been Liam's passion, but he left it all behind along with ugly memories when he went to college. When his uncle's health fails, Liam must come home at last to say his goodbyes. His days are spent at the hospice, leaving his nights to rake over the past. To fill those empty hours, he takes a job at Great Sin Ink. The close knit friendship of the workers there both intrigues and shakes Liam, who has spent the last four years keeping everyone at arm's length. Neither Deb, the no-nonsense piercer, nor Goose, a manic tattoo artist, will let Liam get away with his isolationist ways for long. If it were just those two, Liam might have stood a chance -- but there's also Ace, the owner of Great Sin. He hires Liam despite a thin resume, and that is a kindness Liam can't forget. The two start up a tentative friendship, learning about each other as the summer days melt into each other. Slowly, Liam reveals a tender heart underneath the wall of quotes he uses to keep everyone out. Unfortunately, life doesn't stand still, and both Liam and Ace have hard struggles before them that might break them up before they can even get together.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2014
6 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Sloane
10 books46 followersVee lives in NY with their husband, child, and cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
May 22, 2014
4.5 inked-in-my-heart stars. Review completed May 22, 2014
Gene is the most important person in Liam's life. He's deathly ill and has not much longer to live. To spend as much precious time as possible, Liam interrupts his studies to come home. Between housesitting and daily, extended visits at the hospice where Gene is cared for, Liam needs to pass some time. That's why he ends up paying Great Sin Ink a visit. Even though Liam has been out of the business for the last few years, he wants to start working as a tattoo artist again. Despite the crappy resume, the parlor's boss Ace is willing to give him a table and a few hours because he liked one of Liam's specific designs.
"Come on, man. I don't have all day."
"Yeah, he's got an appointment at seven." Deb licked a fingertip and stuck it to a magazine page. "Busy man."
"For the love of Christ, Deb." Ace groaned. "Let me maintain a little mystery."
"The only thing mysterious about you is why you think you're mysterious."
"I'll have you know that I am a goddamn man of international fucking mystery."
"Yeah, you're a regular James Bond. (…)"
Over the next few weeks Liam and Ace start a halting yet friendly relationship. The more time passes the stronger they gravitate to each other and undeniable chemistry is in the air.
Opposites attract. Liam, twenty-two-years-old, is six feet three inches tall, lanky, with a pale complexion and black hair. He's very introverted, reserved and somewhat tense. Ace is a short man, only five feet four inches tall, bulky, with a head of blond shoulder-length dreadlocks. He’s also nine years older than Liam. Ace is an easygoing guy with a very nice circle of friends. It goes without saying that both of them are tattooed.
Oh boy, I had to settle for too many average or bad reads lately and when I decided to give Stories Beneath Our Skin a shot, I hadn't expected to feel so much for this book and its characters. I love it when a book takes me by surprise. Stories Beneath Our Skin is one of those books that provides lots of story and not much smexin' but I loved it nonetheless. It's a beautifully and gently written story, very character-driven, just an all-around great and satisfying read. This book unites everything I need to feel drawn into a story. Complex and very likable MCs, an engaging narrative, great dialogue, some well-placed banter, and vivid secondary characters (Deb, Goose, Frankie etc.) that gave this story such a fabulous additional touch. Every great book needs a steady forward momentum and I believe supporting characters can do wonders in that regard. Although I need to grumble a little bit. I’d’ve liked to see more of Joy, how she dealt with her problems and came out "converted" at the end of the dark tunnel. And I'd've loved to see more of the lovey-dovey angle. Why not going deeper there, offering more insight? Instead of letting the reader partake in their awakening bond of love, the author skipped right to the epilogue which had been set two years down the road. Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the epilogue, however, I felt like I'd been missing out on something vital. Thus, I really felt deprived of even more contentment.
Bottom line, Stories Beneath Our Skin is a very well and non-intrusively written story, interspersed with numerous significant and beautiful quotes that will infuse you with a myriad of positive thoughts and emotions. It’s a story about pain, loss and grief but without the common stilted and gratuitous drama factor that I’m used to encounter in today’s romance books. It’s also a tale about family values that are not based on DNA, friendship and love that inked itself a place in my heart. A truly great book that put me back in my happy place. Ink is always telling a story and it's also a connecting element to a wide range of feelings, a witness of a time period. I became even more aware of that while reading this book.
Read it and let’s spread someink love for this wonderful and heartfelt story!
Steam 2 to 2.5
For Liam and Ace:
Ink melding us together
Sodden and trodden
Frustrated and impatient
Tired of waiting
Let the rain wash it all away
Every restraint and doubts
Let me kiss you like
I always wanted to kiss you
Don't hold back and fear not
There are enough words
To tell yet another story
A story that goes beyond our skin
Tattooed in our hearts
A story of you and me
Laid bare, lips trailing over aroused skin
Fingers tangling in mussed hair
Memorizing every inch of you
Anchored in the moment
And drowning in pleasure
Let it out, let it all out
I've got you, you're under my skin
Rain pattering steadily at the windows
Absorbing the beat of our hearts
Dwelling on thoughts
Remembering a pale face
Soaking up all the colors
To sweep away and forget
No more power to the
Ugliness and scars of the past
The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
Rumi
Recommended read.
Especially recommended to those readers who haven’t discovered yet how awesome man love is.
"Hey." Ace plucked at Liam's arm. "You okay under there?"
"Yeah." He huffed a laugh and let his arm drop away. Ace loomed over him. "God. You have no idea…"
"That's what happens when you don't clean the pipes for three years."
Gene is the most important person in Liam's life. He's deathly ill and has not much longer to live. To spend as much precious time as possible, Liam interrupts his studies to come home. Between housesitting and daily, extended visits at the hospice where Gene is cared for, Liam needs to pass some time. That's why he ends up paying Great Sin Ink a visit. Even though Liam has been out of the business for the last few years, he wants to start working as a tattoo artist again. Despite the crappy resume, the parlor's boss Ace is willing to give him a table and a few hours because he liked one of Liam's specific designs.
"Come on, man. I don't have all day."
"Yeah, he's got an appointment at seven." Deb licked a fingertip and stuck it to a magazine page. "Busy man."
"For the love of Christ, Deb." Ace groaned. "Let me maintain a little mystery."
"The only thing mysterious about you is why you think you're mysterious."
"I'll have you know that I am a goddamn man of international fucking mystery."
"Yeah, you're a regular James Bond. (…)"
Over the next few weeks Liam and Ace start a halting yet friendly relationship. The more time passes the stronger they gravitate to each other and undeniable chemistry is in the air.
Opposites attract. Liam, twenty-two-years-old, is six feet three inches tall, lanky, with a pale complexion and black hair. He's very introverted, reserved and somewhat tense. Ace is a short man, only five feet four inches tall, bulky, with a head of blond shoulder-length dreadlocks. He’s also nine years older than Liam. Ace is an easygoing guy with a very nice circle of friends. It goes without saying that both of them are tattooed.
"The whole point is that it isn't exactly unwanted. Just…not recommended."
Oh boy, I had to settle for too many average or bad reads lately and when I decided to give Stories Beneath Our Skin a shot, I hadn't expected to feel so much for this book and its characters. I love it when a book takes me by surprise. Stories Beneath Our Skin is one of those books that provides lots of story and not much smexin' but I loved it nonetheless. It's a beautifully and gently written story, very character-driven, just an all-around great and satisfying read. This book unites everything I need to feel drawn into a story. Complex and very likable MCs, an engaging narrative, great dialogue, some well-placed banter, and vivid secondary characters (Deb, Goose, Frankie etc.) that gave this story such a fabulous additional touch. Every great book needs a steady forward momentum and I believe supporting characters can do wonders in that regard. Although I need to grumble a little bit. I’d’ve liked to see more of Joy, how she dealt with her problems and came out "converted" at the end of the dark tunnel. And I'd've loved to see more of the lovey-dovey angle. Why not going deeper there, offering more insight? Instead of letting the reader partake in their awakening bond of love, the author skipped right to the epilogue which had been set two years down the road. Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the epilogue, however, I felt like I'd been missing out on something vital. Thus, I really felt deprived of even more contentment.
"Don't limit my creativity," Ace said plaintively, rolling onto his stomach. "Piss is such a small medium."
Bottom line, Stories Beneath Our Skin is a very well and non-intrusively written story, interspersed with numerous significant and beautiful quotes that will infuse you with a myriad of positive thoughts and emotions. It’s a story about pain, loss and grief but without the common stilted and gratuitous drama factor that I’m used to encounter in today’s romance books. It’s also a tale about family values that are not based on DNA, friendship and love that inked itself a place in my heart. A truly great book that put me back in my happy place. Ink is always telling a story and it's also a connecting element to a wide range of feelings, a witness of a time period. I became even more aware of that while reading this book.
Read it and let’s spread some
Steam 2 to 2.5
For Liam and Ace:
Ink melding us together
Sodden and trodden
Frustrated and impatient
Tired of waiting
Let the rain wash it all away
Every restraint and doubts
Let me kiss you like
I always wanted to kiss you
Don't hold back and fear not
There are enough words
To tell yet another story
A story that goes beyond our skin
Tattooed in our hearts
A story of you and me
Laid bare, lips trailing over aroused skin
Fingers tangling in mussed hair
Memorizing every inch of you
Anchored in the moment
And drowning in pleasure
Let it out, let it all out
I've got you, you're under my skin
Rain pattering steadily at the windows
Absorbing the beat of our hearts
Dwelling on thoughts
Remembering a pale face
Soaking up all the colors
To sweep away and forget
No more power to the
Ugliness and scars of the past
The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
Rumi
Recommended read.
Especially recommended to those readers who haven’t discovered yet how awesome man love is.
January 30, 2015
And what is it, thought I, after all! It’s only his outside; a man can be honest in any sort of skin.
~Herman Melville
This book was REAL. And it was raw.
It was about ink and friendship, healing and pain, omission and trust.
It was about Ace, a tattoo artist running his own shop, and Liam, come home from college for the summer to say good-bye to his beloved uncle.
There were many stories here, not just Ace and Liam's. There was Liam's shattered past and Ace's sadly wasted sister; and Ace and Liam trying to do right by Ace's young nephew Cole; there was brash Deb, forever teasing and single; and Goose and Frankie, who really need a story of their own.
Liam was a lover of literary quotes and a poet after my own heart. And Ace won me over with his kindness, wit, and tolerance. These guys were ordinary in an extraordinary way: not superheroes or spies, not wealthy or glaringly handsome, but giving and open and quiet in their love. The steam simmered just below the surface.
I did want to know more about Frankie.
I also noticed a few typos, particularly missing words. I winced but kept on going, because this story was worth it.
The epilogue was lovely, but a bit more emotion would have made it perfect.
This book has a subdued, almost melancholy quality. The feels weren't intense; they moved below the surface: pretty, ugly, remarkable, shocking, just stories, inked or otherwise, simmering beneath our skin.
May 5, 2014
I don't know what to say. There aren't any words good enough to express how I feel about this book. Here are some less than adequate words:
quietly amazing
subtle in its beauty
simply outstanding
See? There's no way I could do this book justice in a review.
Just take my word (or lack thereof) for it. Read this book.
October 7, 2016
4.5 stars
Book. I ♥ you.
Once in a while you find a book that ‘speaks’ to you, that just fits every single thing you love from a story, and you feel like you have been granted a privilege of sharing several hours of your life with the characters.
For me, this book is one of them. This is MY kind of book.
It’s about friendship and family-by-choice … how sometimes, the people you consider as your family are not the one you are born into. That was what happened to Liam. Coming home to say goodbye to his uncle – not even his biological uncle; Gene took care of Liam when he was ten years old, being married to Liam’s aunt – Liam found a job at Great Sin Ink and ended up with friends for life.
This was the kind of story that didn’t have big drama or strong emotions. It didn’t have an exotic setting or supernatural elements. It was an everyday kind of story – which made it such a comfort read. It didn’t mean that the story was dull. On the contrary, the characters have their own colorful background that made the story so appealing.
Liam was smart, he was good with his art, and he could quote ‘dead white guys’ in everyday conversation, although Liam also had an aura of sadness with him. Then there was Ace, the owner of Great Sin Ink, an ex-military who has a flair to save strays (he even saved spiders!). Goose, a happy-go-lucky guy who can ‘read’ people like a pro and has been pining over Frankie, the bartender. Then Deb, the only female employee, who just rocked my world with her non-sense attitude. Even the ‘secondary’ characters were intriguing in their own way (my favorites were Frankie and Gene). I loved every single one of them.
That was the beauty of it. Beyond the grounded and what-felt-like an ordinary story, there was something way deeper about the characters and how they came together. They all had their stories to tell and it was all gracefully intertwined.
This book also managed to make me cry. I knew what was coming ahead of time but still when it happened, I just couldn’t stop the tears. Oh, yes, all out tears and snot and sobbing heavily. Trust me, it wasn’t pretty.
The story was wrapped rather rushed, though. Yes there was an epilogue ... which acted quite nicely to inform myself as a reader, about the life of these characters. However, I did wish for a couple of more chapters, especially because I wanted to read how Frankie finally accepted Goose. I also noticed a few mistakes (like wrong character’s name: “Gertrude” when it had been “Gretchen”) although it didn’t reduce my enjoyment.
In the end, this is the kind of story that I cherish and definitely one of my personal favorites so far this year. I just hope that this review has done the book justice because I sure want more people to read this one and hope to have the same comfortable experience afterwards. Just a warning for the smut-lover, this has little on-page sex. So it might be a problem for you, if that is what you’re expecting from an MM romance…
PS: I also loved how Ms. Sloane made the difference of height between Liam and Ace (Liam was 6’3” and Ace was only 5’4”). I know it was a small detail, but it was a detail that I appreciated.
Book. I ♥ you.
Once in a while you find a book that ‘speaks’ to you, that just fits every single thing you love from a story, and you feel like you have been granted a privilege of sharing several hours of your life with the characters.
For me, this book is one of them. This is MY kind of book.
It’s about friendship and family-by-choice … how sometimes, the people you consider as your family are not the one you are born into. That was what happened to Liam. Coming home to say goodbye to his uncle – not even his biological uncle; Gene took care of Liam when he was ten years old, being married to Liam’s aunt – Liam found a job at Great Sin Ink and ended up with friends for life.
This was the kind of story that didn’t have big drama or strong emotions. It didn’t have an exotic setting or supernatural elements. It was an everyday kind of story – which made it such a comfort read. It didn’t mean that the story was dull. On the contrary, the characters have their own colorful background that made the story so appealing.
Liam was smart, he was good with his art, and he could quote ‘dead white guys’ in everyday conversation, although Liam also had an aura of sadness with him. Then there was Ace, the owner of Great Sin Ink, an ex-military who has a flair to save strays (he even saved spiders!). Goose, a happy-go-lucky guy who can ‘read’ people like a pro and has been pining over Frankie, the bartender. Then Deb, the only female employee, who just rocked my world with her non-sense attitude. Even the ‘secondary’ characters were intriguing in their own way (my favorites were Frankie and Gene). I loved every single one of them.
That was the beauty of it. Beyond the grounded and what-felt-like an ordinary story, there was something way deeper about the characters and how they came together. They all had their stories to tell and it was all gracefully intertwined.
This book also managed to make me cry. I knew what was coming ahead of time but still when it happened, I just couldn’t stop the tears. Oh, yes, all out tears and snot and sobbing heavily. Trust me, it wasn’t pretty.
The story was wrapped rather rushed, though. Yes there was an epilogue ... which acted quite nicely to inform myself as a reader, about the life of these characters. However, I did wish for a couple of more chapters, especially because I wanted to read how Frankie finally accepted Goose. I also noticed a few mistakes (like wrong character’s name: “Gertrude” when it had been “Gretchen”) although it didn’t reduce my enjoyment.
In the end, this is the kind of story that I cherish and definitely one of my personal favorites so far this year. I just hope that this review has done the book justice because I sure want more people to read this one and hope to have the same comfortable experience afterwards. Just a warning for the smut-lover, this has little on-page sex. So it might be a problem for you, if that is what you’re expecting from an MM romance…
PS: I also loved how Ms. Sloane made the difference of height between Liam and Ace (Liam was 6’3” and Ace was only 5’4”). I know it was a small detail, but it was a detail that I appreciated.
March 21, 2021
Audiobook and Story - 2 stars
I finished this one 2 hours ago and I don't even remember the MCs.
Not good at all.
Anyhoo, I believe I am 5 years late to this story.
I finished this one 2 hours ago and I don't even remember the MCs.
Not good at all.
Anyhoo, I believe I am 5 years late to this story.
May 1, 2018
5 Stars
My heart. This story was like a warm hug. It is a simple story with little outside drama or angst. There is an element of melancholy that pervades the story, but it just adds to the poignant and emotional atmosphere.
"Stories Beneath Our Skin" is a lovely healing/comfort story that brings together two endearing MCs and a cast of engaging secondary characters. At first glance, the two MCs have very little in common. Liam is a twenty-two year old English major, attending Berkeley, and dreaming of becoming a teacher. He loves art and is a fledgling tattoo artist. At six foot three, Liam is a quiet, prickly, and vulnerable soul who fills his conversations with literary quotes. He is battling grief, loss, and a dark event from his past, while trying to move on with his career plans.
Ace is a thirty-one year old tattoo artist and tattoo shop owner. He is an Army veteran with a soft spot for children and rescue animals. Ace is five foot four, Welsh, has multiple piercings, and long, blond dreadlocks. Ace's friends and fellow coworkers make up a diverse and supportive found family that nurtures and buoys Liam through his darker days. There is also the introduction of a burgeoning love story between Liam’s coworker and a transgender female bartender that I would love to read more about.
I read this story through Kindle Unlimited and there are some glaring formatting errors in the text that are a bit distracting, but ultimately the fantastic story kept me focused and my attention diverted.
For a beautiful review that captures the full essence of this story, check out the review by ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~'s Reviews
Highly recommend!
My heart. This story was like a warm hug. It is a simple story with little outside drama or angst. There is an element of melancholy that pervades the story, but it just adds to the poignant and emotional atmosphere.
"Stories Beneath Our Skin" is a lovely healing/comfort story that brings together two endearing MCs and a cast of engaging secondary characters. At first glance, the two MCs have very little in common. Liam is a twenty-two year old English major, attending Berkeley, and dreaming of becoming a teacher. He loves art and is a fledgling tattoo artist. At six foot three, Liam is a quiet, prickly, and vulnerable soul who fills his conversations with literary quotes. He is battling grief, loss, and a dark event from his past, while trying to move on with his career plans.
Ace is a thirty-one year old tattoo artist and tattoo shop owner. He is an Army veteran with a soft spot for children and rescue animals. Ace is five foot four, Welsh, has multiple piercings, and long, blond dreadlocks. Ace's friends and fellow coworkers make up a diverse and supportive found family that nurtures and buoys Liam through his darker days. There is also the introduction of a burgeoning love story between Liam’s coworker and a transgender female bartender that I would love to read more about.
I read this story through Kindle Unlimited and there are some glaring formatting errors in the text that are a bit distracting, but ultimately the fantastic story kept me focused and my attention diverted.
For a beautiful review that captures the full essence of this story, check out the review by ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~'s Reviews
Highly recommend!
July 31, 2024
Big compliment coming here. Big compliment.
Here goes: right now, I am awash with a more easygoing version of the feeling Glitterland left me with. Because, you know, there's no bipolar disease and such, and the prose is not as flowery. But oh boy, is there beauty and literacy and strength and love.
To be fully honest with you, when the Stories Beneath Our Skin hype was taking over GR, I just couldn't figure out what could be so great about it. From the blurb and cover, all I could visualise was a story that's been done before in some version or another - two artists with an ugly past slowly coming together...? Wow, that's some fresh stuff right there, am I right?
And to be just as honest, I'll tell you this shocked me out of my skepticness from the very first page. Twenty pages in, and I was finding things like
and
and many others, even better ones, that I couldn't narrow down to an acceptable number or quote without spoilers.
And it's not just the writing. It's every single minuscule idea that went into the whole architecture of this story, starting with the concept of crush, which, as I've been thinking for a long time, deserves a lot more attention that what it gets in the romance genre. That fluttery feeling of wanting to touch and be near and get to know, without messy, sappy feelings that turn things into corny lurve much too soon to be believable, that earnest yearning for a specific someone who's fresh and warm and colourful and kind. That, that thing there. It's here.
And from there, things develop achingly slowly, and then all at once, and that's how you do love stories. Not once did I find the development in the second half of the novel to be unrealistically quick, because there was so much snappy, heartfelt dialogue between Ace and Liam (and everyone else) that their connection was inevitably palpable and real.
There's no drama. And I mean that in the most literal way possible. There are ugly things in the past, but there is no drama. Some memories are hard to deal with, some choices are hard to make, but these characters... get to it. No fuss, no sweat. And it's refreshing and lovely.
The side characters are amazing. They're drawn as clearly and precisely as the protagonists, and both the secondary characters' and the MCs' personalities are wonderfully vivid, quirky and compelling. And I mean really vivid, really quirky, and really compelling.
I'm in love with this book in ways that I never thought possible.
It's my first 5 star officially published M/M novel since Glitterland, and that's saying something. I read that one in February.
This time, follow the hype.
Here goes: right now, I am awash with a more easygoing version of the feeling Glitterland left me with. Because, you know, there's no bipolar disease and such, and the prose is not as flowery. But oh boy, is there beauty and literacy and strength and love.
To be fully honest with you, when the Stories Beneath Our Skin hype was taking over GR, I just couldn't figure out what could be so great about it. From the blurb and cover, all I could visualise was a story that's been done before in some version or another - two artists with an ugly past slowly coming together...? Wow, that's some fresh stuff right there, am I right?
And to be just as honest, I'll tell you this shocked me out of my skepticness from the very first page. Twenty pages in, and I was finding things like
When he stood in front of the mirror, he wore the costume of the boy he used to be. It made him shaky in his own skin, like the threat of teenage angst was woven right into the cotton.
and
The hard-edged hearty friendship that hung between Goose, Ace, and Deb seemed too old and deeply coded to allow anyone else in. He wasn't even sure he wanted to be let in. That kind of closeness turned too easily into claustrophobia [...].
and many others, even better ones, that I couldn't narrow down to an acceptable number or quote without spoilers.
And it's not just the writing. It's every single minuscule idea that went into the whole architecture of this story, starting with the concept of crush, which, as I've been thinking for a long time, deserves a lot more attention that what it gets in the romance genre. That fluttery feeling of wanting to touch and be near and get to know, without messy, sappy feelings that turn things into corny lurve much too soon to be believable, that earnest yearning for a specific someone who's fresh and warm and colourful and kind. That, that thing there. It's here.
And from there, things develop achingly slowly, and then all at once, and that's how you do love stories. Not once did I find the development in the second half of the novel to be unrealistically quick, because there was so much snappy, heartfelt dialogue between Ace and Liam (and everyone else) that their connection was inevitably palpable and real.
There's no drama. And I mean that in the most literal way possible. There are ugly things in the past, but there is no drama. Some memories are hard to deal with, some choices are hard to make, but these characters... get to it. No fuss, no sweat. And it's refreshing and lovely.
The side characters are amazing. They're drawn as clearly and precisely as the protagonists, and both the secondary characters' and the MCs' personalities are wonderfully vivid, quirky and compelling. And I mean really vivid, really quirky, and really compelling.
I'm in love with this book in ways that I never thought possible.
It's my first 5 star officially published M/M novel since Glitterland, and that's saying something. I read that one in February.
This time, follow the hype.
June 1, 2014
Fuck, yeah. More please.
***
things I liked the most
Hands. Sloane writes hands and small movements well. When Liam and Ace touch it drives me wild with longing.
Sentences.
" . . . some Seussian nightmare of snarled rhyme."
" . . . gathered on the roof, smeared over three of the chairs . . ."
" . . . the plush arc of his lips."
Things I wish were different:
That someone would please correct Cole: Mars is further away from the sun and its temperature is MUCH lower. Don't let him go through life like this. Kids can take correction!
Clamoring does not mean clambering.
***
things I liked the most
Hands. Sloane writes hands and small movements well. When Liam and Ace touch it drives me wild with longing.
Sentences.
" . . . some Seussian nightmare of snarled rhyme."
" . . . gathered on the roof, smeared over three of the chairs . . ."
" . . . the plush arc of his lips."
Things I wish were different:
That someone would please correct Cole: Mars is further away from the sun and its temperature is MUCH lower. Don't let him go through life like this. Kids can take correction!
Clamoring does not mean clambering.
February 6, 2018
When I first started this book, I thought "hmmm....okay, let's see where this goes". But as I read, I got increasingly annoyed. At 67% I had thought I would just throw in the towel and dnf but decided to soldier on instead.
Let me first say, this story had potential. It's an interesting premise. 22 yo guy, Liam, returns home from college because his pseudo-uncle/father is dying and he wants to spend his last days with him. Liam has insomnia and needs something to do at night so he applies for a job at the local tattoo shop. 31 yo owner, Ace, hires him right away even though his portfolio is severely lacking. Friendship/boss turns into more.
However, this book is riddled formatting errors. At times it made it difficult to read. Chapter headers in the middle of a page. Sentences broken up, moved to the next line. Words broken with spaces such as "cl ued" Things like that. But again, I tried to push through it all for the story.
But as I read, I realized something. I was reading in a monotone voice. The characters were just "flat" for lack of a better word. It's only Liam's POV which I think really hurt the book. I needed Ace's POV. For more than half the book, it seemed he had no interest whatsoever in Liam. Then he says he was attracted from the moment he stepped into his shop. Uhhh, what? I never picked up on that at all. And even after that when they begin their relationship, it still seemed Liam was just a fuck-buddy. I could not get any emotions from Ace at all.
Liam read, to me, as very down and depressing. I realize he had some horrible things happen to him and with his uncle dying and all. But even when his past was revealed, it was just "flat". He could have been talking about the weather for all I knew.
There were some interesting side characters. One in particular, Frankie, I wanted to know more about. It's revealed she's transgender. Supposedly not many people know, not even Goose, who has been pursuing her for years. But it's never addressed or really mentioned again. What happened? Did she finally tell Goose? I'm assuming so from the epilogue but WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED???? I wanted to know. Why mention it if nothing comes of it?
I will say, it had a nice epilogue that I liked. I was glad to see what was going on a couple of years out. But overall, it just left me, well...
Let me first say, this story had potential. It's an interesting premise. 22 yo guy, Liam, returns home from college because his pseudo-uncle/father is dying and he wants to spend his last days with him. Liam has insomnia and needs something to do at night so he applies for a job at the local tattoo shop. 31 yo owner, Ace, hires him right away even though his portfolio is severely lacking. Friendship/boss turns into more.
However, this book is riddled formatting errors. At times it made it difficult to read. Chapter headers in the middle of a page. Sentences broken up, moved to the next line. Words broken with spaces such as "cl ued" Things like that. But again, I tried to push through it all for the story.
But as I read, I realized something. I was reading in a monotone voice. The characters were just "flat" for lack of a better word. It's only Liam's POV which I think really hurt the book. I needed Ace's POV. For more than half the book, it seemed he had no interest whatsoever in Liam. Then he says he was attracted from the moment he stepped into his shop. Uhhh, what? I never picked up on that at all. And even after that when they begin their relationship, it still seemed Liam was just a fuck-buddy. I could not get any emotions from Ace at all.
Liam read, to me, as very down and depressing. I realize he had some horrible things happen to him and with his uncle dying and all. But even when his past was revealed, it was just "flat". He could have been talking about the weather for all I knew.
There were some interesting side characters. One in particular, Frankie, I wanted to know more about. It's revealed she's transgender. Supposedly not many people know, not even Goose, who has been pursuing her for years. But it's never addressed or really mentioned again. What happened? Did she finally tell Goose? I'm assuming so from the epilogue but WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED???? I wanted to know. Why mention it if nothing comes of it?
I will say, it had a nice epilogue that I liked. I was glad to see what was going on a couple of years out. But overall, it just left me, well...
April 29, 2014
My favorite book of the year so far. I need a moment to collect myself before I write my review.
May 18, 2014
''The wound is the place where the Light enters you.'' - Rumi
Love this! This is the book to read if you just want to have a nice quiet relaxing afternoon. No unnecessary drama, no miscommunication from the MCs and no ridiculous conflicts. What annoys me sometimes in M/M romance is that when the MCs take a really long time to open up with whatever issues or bad past that they have and it becomes a source of drama later on that they could've easily avoided IF THE ONLY TALKED TO EACH OTHER. That did not happen here, so, hurray! A lot of great quotes in here and a quote from Rumi (my favorite poet) is even mentioned here which is a plus for me. A really great story about letting go of the past, moving on and finding what real love and happiness is.
Love this! This is the book to read if you just want to have a nice quiet relaxing afternoon. No unnecessary drama, no miscommunication from the MCs and no ridiculous conflicts. What annoys me sometimes in M/M romance is that when the MCs take a really long time to open up with whatever issues or bad past that they have and it becomes a source of drama later on that they could've easily avoided IF THE ONLY TALKED TO EACH OTHER. That did not happen here, so, hurray! A lot of great quotes in here and a quote from Rumi (my favorite poet) is even mentioned here which is a plus for me. A really great story about letting go of the past, moving on and finding what real love and happiness is.
May 20, 2014
I really enjoyed the realistic feel of this book. The main characters are complex, but not melodramatic. They have backstories that feel like real life, with happiness and friends and loss and trauma in equal measures.
Liam, whose POV tells the story, is a young man of 22 who has returned home from his last year of college to be with his uncle, the man who raised him, who is dying of kidney failure. To pass the time and earn money, he gets a job at a small tattoo parlor. For a while in his teen years, designing tattoos was his passion, until it went wrong. But it's still a skill, and since he doesn't plan to stay forever, it seems like a win.
Ace, the owner of Great Sin Ink, is in his early thirties and seems part eccentric artist, part businessman, short, pierced and a veteran. He has a sister whom he tries to keep off drugs, and other family and friends who make up his life. He takes Liam on, based on the design on his application, and as Liam spends his time at work, he starts opening up to the motley crew who orbit around and through Great Sin. He hasn't had real friends for a while, but it feels like perhaps he is making some now.
I appreciated the slow, plausible feel of this. There were emotional moments, and pasts with pain in them, but no melodramatic or over-saccharine relationships. The end wraps nicely, but not too cleanly, and life goes on. There are some great secondary characters and interactions, and the intersection of tattoos and poetry. I'm going to look for more by this author.
Liam, whose POV tells the story, is a young man of 22 who has returned home from his last year of college to be with his uncle, the man who raised him, who is dying of kidney failure. To pass the time and earn money, he gets a job at a small tattoo parlor. For a while in his teen years, designing tattoos was his passion, until it went wrong. But it's still a skill, and since he doesn't plan to stay forever, it seems like a win.
Ace, the owner of Great Sin Ink, is in his early thirties and seems part eccentric artist, part businessman, short, pierced and a veteran. He has a sister whom he tries to keep off drugs, and other family and friends who make up his life. He takes Liam on, based on the design on his application, and as Liam spends his time at work, he starts opening up to the motley crew who orbit around and through Great Sin. He hasn't had real friends for a while, but it feels like perhaps he is making some now.
I appreciated the slow, plausible feel of this. There were emotional moments, and pasts with pain in them, but no melodramatic or over-saccharine relationships. The end wraps nicely, but not too cleanly, and life goes on. There are some great secondary characters and interactions, and the intersection of tattoos and poetry. I'm going to look for more by this author.
May 21, 2014
4.5
Beautiful...the story, the writing, the characters. I was so enamoured, I read it all in one sitting.
Emotional, yet peaceful, quiet.
So subtle, with a nice touch of humor.
...beautiful.
I loved it all until the end, which was way too abrupt for me. The epilogue almost made up for it, but I would have liked to read more about the time in between.
Beautiful...the story, the writing, the characters. I was so enamoured, I read it all in one sitting.
Emotional, yet peaceful, quiet.
So subtle, with a nice touch of humor.
...beautiful.
I loved it all until the end, which was way too abrupt for me. The epilogue almost made up for it, but I would have liked to read more about the time in between.
April 21, 2014
4.25*
After I read Veronica Sloane's Sweet as Chili Pepper I knew this was an author I wanted to read more of. Then I read the blurb for this one and admit that the tattoo references and the cover had me snatching it up in my greedy little hands.
This is the kind of story I love, nothing big happens, no crazy antics or loud emotions. No, it's a quiet story, possibly even sort of ordinary, but perfect in that ordinariness.
Liam needs something to help fill his hours while being there for his dying uncle and the only place available happens to be willing to give him a chance.
This is a story about family and friendship and how family is way more than blood relation, it's about stepping up, stepping in and just being there. It's also about healing and moving on and forgiveness. I think forgiving oneself more than anything else.
I don't want to leave the impression it is a dark or heavy book, it really isn't, even if it deals with serious issues.
I loved watching all these different characters, Liam, so smart, he seems to knows every quote in literature and has a very unique way of eating, he also a lot of baggage but he is a really good man. Ace, a physically small man but with a huge heart. I mean he carries spiders outside and sets them in the grass. As someone who has been accused of screaming like the girl I am at spiders, I was impressed. Deb's not gonna put up with any nonsense and keeps the shop running. Goose who comes across as a happy-go-lucky guy but is deeper than that. Frankie, who has her own story to tell, Cole and Joy and last but not least, Gene.
I have to admit Gene's time in the hospice was hard for me to read, it's not actually written in a tear jerk manner, it just hit really close to home and had me identifying with Liam on a very basic level. The relationship between Liam and Ace develops slowly and with little drama and there is actually very little on page sex, which also worked really well for me in this story.
All I can really say is I very much enjoyed this book, even dealing with some unpleasantness and trauma in Liam's past it was still a comforting and entertaining read and sort of felt like me feeling like I had a warm bowl of soup on a cold night, comforted and satisfied.
After I read Veronica Sloane's Sweet as Chili Pepper I knew this was an author I wanted to read more of. Then I read the blurb for this one and admit that the tattoo references and the cover had me snatching it up in my greedy little hands.
This is the kind of story I love, nothing big happens, no crazy antics or loud emotions. No, it's a quiet story, possibly even sort of ordinary, but perfect in that ordinariness.
Liam needs something to help fill his hours while being there for his dying uncle and the only place available happens to be willing to give him a chance.
This is a story about family and friendship and how family is way more than blood relation, it's about stepping up, stepping in and just being there. It's also about healing and moving on and forgiveness. I think forgiving oneself more than anything else.
I don't want to leave the impression it is a dark or heavy book, it really isn't, even if it deals with serious issues.
I loved watching all these different characters, Liam, so smart, he seems to knows every quote in literature and has a very unique way of eating, he also a lot of baggage but he is a really good man. Ace, a physically small man but with a huge heart. I mean he carries spiders outside and sets them in the grass. As someone who has been accused of screaming like the girl I am at spiders, I was impressed. Deb's not gonna put up with any nonsense and keeps the shop running. Goose who comes across as a happy-go-lucky guy but is deeper than that. Frankie, who has her own story to tell, Cole and Joy and last but not least, Gene.
I have to admit Gene's time in the hospice was hard for me to read, it's not actually written in a tear jerk manner, it just hit really close to home and had me identifying with Liam on a very basic level. The relationship between Liam and Ace develops slowly and with little drama and there is actually very little on page sex, which also worked really well for me in this story.
All I can really say is I very much enjoyed this book, even dealing with some unpleasantness and trauma in Liam's past it was still a comforting and entertaining read and sort of felt like me feeling like I had a warm bowl of soup on a cold night, comforted and satisfied.
April 23, 2016
Re-read - Still love this story.
But the audio (now available) is a no go for me. Ace's voice is pure Pirate, and the two Welsh sentences - pretty sure huhehunho said fast doesn't mean anything in any language!
-- --
Lovely. Picked this up after reading Ami's review, and really she says it all better that I can. Couldn't sleep and read this in one sitting.
An exploration of family and meeting of friends that become a family stronger than blood. Colourful characters; everyone that's given page time is engaging. In fact I really hope that this'll become a little series, I'd love to see more of this group.
Bright cocky Goose '97% talk, 6% awesome, 5% ink' with his ability to read people and his crush on bar-owner Francesca, whose nursing strong fears and hurts.
Deb the only female in the tattoo-shop family. A great character; no-nonsense, ex-military. Affection shown through the familiarity of her banter, without her ever owning to mushy feelings.
Ace the shop owner who sees beneath the surface of Liam.
Liam the main character, hiding behind his literary/film quotations (none that can't be skipped if it's really not your thing)
All have their own stories and lives which are woven together like one of Ace's Celtic knots to make a family. There's enough to make them all real, without fogging up the main story arc.
How nice to have Ace the confident ex-military character be a petite 'shrimpy' 5.4" (5.5 in boots) compared to the Liam's 6.3". There's hurt/comfort but its shared. They both get to be the strong for the other, it makes them feel real and the relationship all the sweeter. There's a nine year age difference but it's not hugely evident.
The men both have family issues and histories but the story is angst free. Instead it's them getting to know each other. Liam healing his past and getting more comfortable with himself. His Uncle Gene is another great character, a good man. A really nice story, but enough there that you care and want more, it doesn't get dull.
There's a sadness that you know is coming from the start but still causes an ache. Its dealt with very well.
Only niggle for me was the time jump at the end, Forward two years. I didn't get why the jump ahead, didn't really feel like two years had passed or that it covered how the interim had played out. Liked seeing how they were set but would have preferred to stick to real time and had another chapter or two there. Still, enjoyed the feel of the story too much to deduct a star.
This is a comfort read, like a warm hug. Acceptance, seeing the stories beneath the skin. Life, colour, true family and love. Smut levels are very low, but the connections are strong.
But the audio (now available) is a no go for me. Ace's voice is pure Pirate, and the two Welsh sentences - pretty sure huhehunho said fast doesn't mean anything in any language!
-- --
Lovely. Picked this up after reading Ami's review, and really she says it all better that I can. Couldn't sleep and read this in one sitting.
An exploration of family and meeting of friends that become a family stronger than blood. Colourful characters; everyone that's given page time is engaging. In fact I really hope that this'll become a little series, I'd love to see more of this group.
Bright cocky Goose '97% talk, 6% awesome, 5% ink' with his ability to read people and his crush on bar-owner Francesca, whose nursing strong fears and hurts.
Deb the only female in the tattoo-shop family. A great character; no-nonsense, ex-military. Affection shown through the familiarity of her banter, without her ever owning to mushy feelings.
Ace the shop owner who sees beneath the surface of Liam.
Liam the main character, hiding behind his literary/film quotations (none that can't be skipped if it's really not your thing)
All have their own stories and lives which are woven together like one of Ace's Celtic knots to make a family. There's enough to make them all real, without fogging up the main story arc.
How nice to have Ace the confident ex-military character be a petite 'shrimpy' 5.4" (5.5 in boots) compared to the Liam's 6.3". There's hurt/comfort but its shared. They both get to be the strong for the other, it makes them feel real and the relationship all the sweeter. There's a nine year age difference but it's not hugely evident.
The men both have family issues and histories but the story is angst free. Instead it's them getting to know each other. Liam healing his past and getting more comfortable with himself. His Uncle Gene is another great character, a good man. A really nice story, but enough there that you care and want more, it doesn't get dull.
There's a sadness that you know is coming from the start but still causes an ache. Its dealt with very well.
Only niggle for me was the time jump at the end, Forward two years. I didn't get why the jump ahead, didn't really feel like two years had passed or that it covered how the interim had played out. Liked seeing how they were set but would have preferred to stick to real time and had another chapter or two there. Still, enjoyed the feel of the story too much to deduct a star.
This is a comfort read, like a warm hug. Acceptance, seeing the stories beneath the skin. Life, colour, true family and love. Smut levels are very low, but the connections are strong.
June 6, 2014
"Show me a man with a tattoo, and I'll show you a man with an interesting past."
~Jack London
Ink
Pain
Passion
Beauty
"The wound is the place where the Light enters you."
~Rumi
This is a story about friendship. Learning what it means to be a friend. And then later, over time falling in love with that friend
It's about pain and letting people in and forget the past. It's about being there for the one you care. *sigh*
I appreciated the slow, believable feel of this story. There were emotional moments, and painful past and the end wraps nicely and life goes on. There are some great secondary characters and interactions, and the intersection of beautiful tattoos and amazing poetry.
It was a beautiful read. Recommended.
Amazing BR her.
June 7, 2014
pretty ok.
some of it seemed over the top; some of it seemed nicely understated; too much of it was conversation, and not enough of it was original.
but when it was good, it was good—and that's something, at least.
some of it seemed over the top; some of it seemed nicely understated; too much of it was conversation, and not enough of it was original.
but when it was good, it was good—and that's something, at least.
September 15, 2014
Normally I'm not a fan of a man with dreads (dreds?). How often does one wash that stuff? What happens if I touch it? Is it greasy from a lack of shampoo? Ew.
(Clearly I'm lacking some necessary knowledge and further research must ensue. If anyone has a heterosexual friend who'd let me play with their hair and possibly hump their leg or other parts of their anatomy, some digits would be mightily appreciated. That's right, I still say "digits.")
However, this was before I met Ace.
Oh, how do I love thee Ace! Let me count the ways: he's short, strong, has a fierce attitude, tattoos. He's loving, giving and sweet. My lower lip trembles just thinking about him. As well as other parts of my bod (probably should stop mentioning that, but what the hell). ALSO HE TOPS. I love a short man who tops a taller man. You don't see it that often (though I think there's a listopia dedicated to smaller tops) and it makes me so happy. Also he's older than Liam, our MC. That also makes me happy. Also he has a faint Welsh accent. Excuse me while I faint.
It took me awhile to warm up to Liam. At first I thought it was the third person limited narrative style that made it hard to see why Ace, and others, seemed to find Liam so interesting. Even though the book is told from Liam's perspective, we know so little about him. I didn't find him all that fascinating a character to begin with, so I wasn't sure why Ace would. He's so closed off to himself, others and especially the reader. I considered this to be unsure writing on Sloane's part.
However, as the plot gradually deepens, as the romance between Ace & Liam grows, so does our understanding of Liam. He starts to open himself up to Ace, and the other friends he makes as well as the reader. While I never fell in severe like with Liam as I did with other characters (uh, did I mention I really like Ace? -- cause I do), the more I got to know him, the more I appreciated his character. I'm not sure I can explain myself clearly, but at first he's like the neutral eye through which we view these strangers (Ace as well as Goose, Deb & Frankie) and as he grows to love them and view them as family, so does the reader. Also I realized that the other characters probably didn't find Liam as apparently fascinating as I thought they did, rather their interest grew as Liam's did. In the end I thought it was subtly and really well-done by the author.
As Sofia says in her review the author does go the whole hog with angsty side or back stories. It did seem like rather a lot to pile a novel. But Sloane dribbles the side and back stories out at such a slow rate they never take over the story.
And, god, I just loved the romance between Ace and Liam! Again, it develops slowly, slowly, slowly. By the time they actually get it on, it makes perfect sense why these two are falling for each other. Sloane's pacing is just excellent and probably my favorite part of the novel.
Although I really liked this book and it left me all gooey inside I didn't feel totally connected to it. I spent more time analizying it than sinking into its world. But that's probably more my mood than anything else. I look forward to rereading it.
P.S. Thanks for the BR Sofia! As usual I love chatting with you about whatever books we're reading. <3
P.P.S. Forgot to mention the fantastic family feeling between Ace, Deb, Goose & Frankie.
P.P.S.S. Think I could talk my little Nickle Pickle into some dreads?
November 10, 2014
4.5 Stars
Stories can be told in so many ways. Pictures, sound, hand gestures, and words. Our bodies can tell a story with movement, hugs, kisses, facial expressions, scars, and tattoos. No matter how they are told though, stories always seem to hold the power to make us smile, laugh, and cry. The power to inspire. And the power to heal.
Veronica Sloane’s Stories Beneath Our Skin tells a story of family, friends, love, and life. A story that for me was pretty damn perfect. All the characters made a home in my heart—Liam, Ace, Goose, Joy, Frankie, Cole, Deb, and Gene. All of them! The pieces, people and colors all came together with huge laughs and fun. I adored spending time in this book. Every drawing, drink, traded quote, tattoo, tangle of legs, and story hit my heart. The time spent on the roof of the shop held some of my favorite moments—stories told under the night sky or warm sun with a beer in hand. I could feel the warmth and ease grow in this new circle of friends with each and every story they told. So warm and welcoming. Liam’s home and family will stick with me. *sigh* Yup! I love this book. Everything but the epilogue. This is not a spoiler--- Just had to get that out. :D
THIS IS A TRUE SPOILER. I didn’t
Still loved this story. Still loved Liam and Ace. And I plan to read more from Ms. Sloane for sure.
There is no way I’m ending this review on a negative vibe! So here are a few of my loves from this book….
One of my favorite lines:
“life isn’t always roses and beer in the sunshine”
A couple of my favorite descriptions:
“molasses-slow minutes”
And
Listen to how Sloane described this bar. I know this bar! I can feel this bar on my skin.
“No one inside the bar actually had a lit cigarette, but the place must’ve marinated in nicotine for countless decades before Johnny Law had intervened.”
And a song before I go:
This song The Story by Brandi Carlile came to mind while reading this book. Her album has been on repeat ever since.
“All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I’ve been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don’t mean anything
When you’ve got no one to tell them to
It’s true…I was made for you”
It takes trust, comfort, and love to share ourselves—to tell our stories.
Hope you read and listen to this one.
Highly recommended.
May 28, 2014
This book will be inked in me for a long time, I'm sure of it! I loved this story and the writing, and being this my first Veronica Sloane book, I have to say that I want to read more of her work.
I have one complain, though... The ending was a little rushed, and I didn't want the book to end, I wanted more of these two magnificent men and their friends. There were things, although not very important to the plot, that I didn't knew how they happened or what lead to those events in the ending.
But, going back to the beginning, this is the story of two men, Ace and Liam, both with sad pasts, and they have their story inked on their body! Good and bad moments, pain and joy, those things are forever written on their skin! This is also a story about friendship and trust, how friends became lovers, how attraction became love!
This is an unforgettable book, with low angst level, with characters that provide fun, tenderness and love!
I had the pleasure of having great friends on a fabulous BR with me!!!
I have one complain, though... The ending was a little rushed, and I didn't want the book to end, I wanted more of these two magnificent men and their friends. There were things, although not very important to the plot, that I didn't knew how they happened or what lead to those events in the ending.
But, going back to the beginning, this is the story of two men, Ace and Liam, both with sad pasts, and they have their story inked on their body! Good and bad moments, pain and joy, those things are forever written on their skin! This is also a story about friendship and trust, how friends became lovers, how attraction became love!
This is an unforgettable book, with low angst level, with characters that provide fun, tenderness and love!
I had the pleasure of having great friends on a fabulous BR with me!!!
May 30, 2014
Another fantastic BR with fantastic Girls!
BR HERE
My first book of this author and will not be the last!
Opposites are attracted to each other and this book shows it perfectly!!
A beautiful story about a past, where tattoos "shows" their tales, and for me the most beautiful message that this book shows is that family and people who care about us is not always people of same blood!
LOVE IT!
Thanks lovelies for another awesome BR! :D
BR HERE
My first book of this author and will not be the last!
Opposites are attracted to each other and this book shows it perfectly!!
A beautiful story about a past, where tattoos "shows" their tales, and for me the most beautiful message that this book shows is that family and people who care about us is not always people of same blood!
LOVE IT!
Thanks lovelies for another awesome BR! :D
March 20, 2019
5 I am so in love with this book stars
This was like being in love for the 1st time all over again.
It was beautiful.
It was poetic.
It was magic.
It was love at first page.
It had me from sentence 1.
The 2 MC’s were just, ahhh, they were just so. Words defy me here guys. You are gonna just have to read the book.
Trust me. READ this book.
It was not long enough. I wish this book was over 2000 pages.
Will def be a re-read of mine. The over and over kind.
I am in love with this book.
Mare~Slitsread
August 11, 2016
I liked how the relationship developed in this one. They didn't sport perma-hard-ons, yet it was still obvious they were hot and right for each other.
Great side characters too. I loved Goose.
Great side characters too. I loved Goose.
February 28, 2016
No es un romance al uso, las que busquéis la historia típica con personajes pensando en sexo el 50 % del libro, alejaos. Es una historia cotidiana dentro de las características y la vida de los personajes retratados, una historia de amor (o dos) en la que lo importante no es el sexo, es la esperanza, el consuelo, la comprensión, una historia sobre la amistad.
A los amantes de la literatura como yo les harán los ojos chirivitas con las quotes de diferentes autores.
No es lo que se suele leer en la novela romántica M/M, pero es un libro bonito y especial.
A los amantes de la literatura como yo les harán los ojos chirivitas con las quotes de diferentes autores.
No es lo que se suele leer en la novela romántica M/M, pero es un libro bonito y especial.
May 27, 2014
A rather marvelous read.
Everything worked- the gorgeous writing, the lovely cast of characters and the feel of it- it felt authentic. The characters, supporting cast included, had such depth. They felt real and interesting- like people I wouldn't mind hanging around with.
All boxes ticked.
I bloody loved it!
Everything worked- the gorgeous writing, the lovely cast of characters and the feel of it- it felt authentic. The characters, supporting cast included, had such depth. They felt real and interesting- like people I wouldn't mind hanging around with.
All boxes ticked.
I bloody loved it!
May 24, 2014
I'll keep this short and sweet. I really loved this one. It's a beautiful slice of life story. The writing had this quiet beauty to it. Simply wonderful. 4.5 Stars ♥
did-not-finish
February 20, 2016To finish some day...
Unfortunately was this one pushed off to the waiting shelf a few days (... because of my passion for Adrien English) this week. Time to return to the tattoo studio.
***********************************************************
~~~~~~~~~
Jenni Lea sent me a rec. She loved it...
Unfortunately was this one pushed off to the waiting shelf a few days (... because of my passion for Adrien English) this week. Time to return to the tattoo studio.
***********************************************************
~~~~~~~~~
Jenni Lea sent me a rec. She loved it...
May 26, 2014
I will never find the right words to describe this book, just that I'm lucky to have read it. This book gave me a sense of calm after I finished it, pure therapy. It is the most 'non-pretentious' book I've read if that makes any sense. There is nothing over dramatic about it, just pure genius.
I don't want to use many words I've used before in my reviews about the brilliance of the writing, this book deserves more!
Read the book even if you don't read M/M, just read it.
I don't want to use many words I've used before in my reviews about the brilliance of the writing, this book deserves more!
Read the book even if you don't read M/M, just read it.
December 2, 2014
Alright so it took me a bit to write this review because I needed to think about why I didn't love it 5 stars much. That's weird because I like guys with tattoos and piercings...
Yum...
I also like a good story about them, so this one should've been right up my alley. After some thought, I realized that to me the writing had a distant quality to it that kind of held me at arms length. Because of this, I never managed to have strong FEELS for the characters, even though I could see why others would like it a lot. Besides that, the writing was intelligent and well paced, and the characters truly felt contemporary. I really was happy that, even though there was a kid involved, he was not allowed to take over the story. He was on the periphery, and that is fine with me!
I'm giving this one 3.5 stars because, while I can see why so many people would love it, I just did not connect with it.
Yum...
I also like a good story about them, so this one should've been right up my alley. After some thought, I realized that to me the writing had a distant quality to it that kind of held me at arms length. Because of this, I never managed to have strong FEELS for the characters, even though I could see why others would like it a lot. Besides that, the writing was intelligent and well paced, and the characters truly felt contemporary. I really was happy that, even though there was a kid involved, he was not allowed to take over the story. He was on the periphery, and that is fine with me!
I'm giving this one 3.5 stars because, while I can see why so many people would love it, I just did not connect with it.
June 13, 2014
I loved every single character in this book. I wanted to hang out with them on the roof of Great Sin Ink, wanted to eat pizza with them in the waiting room, and wanted to have a drink with them at Frankie's bar. I still do! This was a great ensemble of characters. Ace, Deb, Goose, Frankie, and Gene - each one, brought something to Liam's life that he so desperately needed.
It's a beautiful story, about family and friendship and the lasting effects they bring to one's life. The author effortlessly writes about love, loss and healing without needless angst. It was a quiet and emotional story about everyday life.
My only complaint is that the end was rushed. I think we needed a little more time with Liam and Ace.
This is definitely going in my re-read pile :)
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