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Something to Celebrate #2
Permanent Ink
Blair Whitaker has one goal: get the hell out of Celebration, NY. Her ticket out is helping the town take the grand prize in a parade contest, which will ensure she lands her dream job. It's a win-win.
Standing in the way is Ben Lambert, a sexy, local tattoo artist whose smile makes her weak. To win the contest, she'll have to sideline his plans for the tattoo festival the town council allowed on the same weekend. But trying to thwart Ben is more than she bargained for, and before she knows it, she's starting to see Celebration–and Ben–as something more than a temporary distraction.
But Blair's in too deep to change directions now. Celebration is behind the parade contest, the mayor revokes the tattoo festival permit, and Blair is on the cusp of getting everything she'd planned. But coming clean will turn Ben against her for good, and going forward means losing what she really wants and hurting the town she's grown to love.
Standing in the way is Ben Lambert, a sexy, local tattoo artist whose smile makes her weak. To win the contest, she'll have to sideline his plans for the tattoo festival the town council allowed on the same weekend. But trying to thwart Ben is more than she bargained for, and before she knows it, she's starting to see Celebration–and Ben–as something more than a temporary distraction.
But Blair's in too deep to change directions now. Celebration is behind the parade contest, the mayor revokes the tattoo festival permit, and Blair is on the cusp of getting everything she'd planned. But coming clean will turn Ben against her for good, and going forward means losing what she really wants and hurting the town she's grown to love.
395 pages, ebook
First published August 4, 2014
3 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Laura Simcox
11 books79 followersAfter spending twenty years in professional theater as a costume designer, with a few of those years also spent as a college instructor, Laura abandoned the nomadic lifestyle to sit in a comfy office chair at a second hand oak desk and write. The result? Romance novels! Her favorite thing ever since she was, oh, about twelve. She writes contemporary, light novels and enjoys creating quirky characters and funny, sexy dialogue. Still, the love story is the focus and Laura has a huge soft spot for a sappy, happy ending.
Laura lives in North Carolina with her husband (true love is real!) and her adorable, high energy four year old son who is currently obsessed with How to Train Your Dragon. And that's cool, because she trains her own little dragon every single day. For escape, she flits around on social media, so come say hi!
Laura lives in North Carolina with her husband (true love is real!) and her adorable, high energy four year old son who is currently obsessed with How to Train Your Dragon. And that's cool, because she trains her own little dragon every single day. For escape, she flits around on social media, so come say hi!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 4, 2014
3 - "I'm in a Tattoed Kind of Mood" Stars.
Permanent Ink is one of those books that I liked and disliked in equal parts. Book two in the Something to Celebrate series. This book concrentrates on town newbies Blair Whitaker and Ben Lambert, Blair moving in with her Grandma Lola due to losing her big city job. Ben has been in town for a while, but being a small town being its only tattooist isn't proving as profitable as he hoped it would be. Doesn't help that a large portion of the residents are Senior Citizens!
He was slow and steady going, and she was full tilt, list in hand - like a sexy redheaded warrior.
I really liked Ben, he was what I would call 'a nice guy', pretty quiet and unassuming, all he really wanted was to bring a little custom to his business Skinnovations so he could live quietly and comfortably in Celebration, Ink Fest was supposed to do that for him, unfortunately it turns out to be far more trouble than the increase in profits is possibly worth. He isn't an uber alpha male, not a big dirty-talker, but someone you would be happy to take home with you to meet your family (well I would, tattos an all!)...
This is also one of the reasons I kind of disliked the book as well, because Blair basically dropped into his life (from a parade float)like a tornado, and from the beginning is sketchy with the truth, vague with her intentions and generally holds back from him. Each and every time this happens, he ends up doing something nice for her, and pretty much lets her get away with her actions... Towards the end he turned from a quiet and unassuming guy to a door-mat a little bit.
"Firefly. I'll agree to almost anything where you're concerned."
Blair is pretty much the other reason I didn't 100% love the book, she has a plan when she returns to Celebration, and from the beginning it isn't to stick around. She then pretty much treats the town like poop, Ben included to achieve her goals... Even when she tried to do the right thing towards the end of the book, it was in the worst possible way. Add too that, the constant justification to herself that what she was doing was ok, I just struggled to warm to her.
The town of Celebration itself is filled with colourful and entertaining characters, and that is something I always enjoy about series that are focussed around a town and its people, sometimes the secondary characters can make up for the shortfalls of the main ones. I loved the love triangle between Lily, Ben and Colleen bearing in mind they are all senior citizens, their antics had me in stitches. The Batchelor for a day auction was also pretty funny, as well as the various parades and celebrations that Blair organises as the book progresses.
"When I'm with you nothing else seems to matter, firefly."
Although not a winner for me this time, I wouldn't hesitate to read the next book Something to Celebrate series. Beacuse of the breadth and depth of the characters and thier stories, you know it is going to be entertaining anyway.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
Permanent Ink is one of those books that I liked and disliked in equal parts. Book two in the Something to Celebrate series. This book concrentrates on town newbies Blair Whitaker and Ben Lambert, Blair moving in with her Grandma Lola due to losing her big city job. Ben has been in town for a while, but being a small town being its only tattooist isn't proving as profitable as he hoped it would be. Doesn't help that a large portion of the residents are Senior Citizens!
He was slow and steady going, and she was full tilt, list in hand - like a sexy redheaded warrior.
I really liked Ben, he was what I would call 'a nice guy', pretty quiet and unassuming, all he really wanted was to bring a little custom to his business Skinnovations so he could live quietly and comfortably in Celebration, Ink Fest was supposed to do that for him, unfortunately it turns out to be far more trouble than the increase in profits is possibly worth. He isn't an uber alpha male, not a big dirty-talker, but someone you would be happy to take home with you to meet your family (well I would, tattos an all!)...
This is also one of the reasons I kind of disliked the book as well, because Blair basically dropped into his life (from a parade float)like a tornado, and from the beginning is sketchy with the truth, vague with her intentions and generally holds back from him. Each and every time this happens, he ends up doing something nice for her, and pretty much lets her get away with her actions... Towards the end he turned from a quiet and unassuming guy to a door-mat a little bit.
"Firefly. I'll agree to almost anything where you're concerned."
Blair is pretty much the other reason I didn't 100% love the book, she has a plan when she returns to Celebration, and from the beginning it isn't to stick around. She then pretty much treats the town like poop, Ben included to achieve her goals... Even when she tried to do the right thing towards the end of the book, it was in the worst possible way. Add too that, the constant justification to herself that what she was doing was ok, I just struggled to warm to her.
The town of Celebration itself is filled with colourful and entertaining characters, and that is something I always enjoy about series that are focussed around a town and its people, sometimes the secondary characters can make up for the shortfalls of the main ones. I loved the love triangle between Lily, Ben and Colleen bearing in mind they are all senior citizens, their antics had me in stitches. The Batchelor for a day auction was also pretty funny, as well as the various parades and celebrations that Blair organises as the book progresses.
"When I'm with you nothing else seems to matter, firefly."
Although not a winner for me this time, I wouldn't hesitate to read the next book Something to Celebrate series. Beacuse of the breadth and depth of the characters and thier stories, you know it is going to be entertaining anyway.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
August 5, 2014
This is NOT your normal tall, dark moody and handsome heavily tattooed guy story!
No MC clubs, no murder or gritty violence. Just a sweet love story between an unlikely couple and a small town called Celebration, New York.
Blair Whitaker has arrived in Celebration, broke, homeless and in need of a job. It's the only place she can go. Her Aunt Lola, who raised her and her cousin Kaley, has moved to Celebration after retiring from her law practice. Blair is a former events planner from New York City, who was fired because her boss was jealous of her success. She is immediately hired by Mayor Ivy to be the Activities Director and there are a LOT of activities in Celebration.
Ben Lambert is the tall, dark and tattooed guy I mentioned earlier. He has recently opened his tattoo business, after apprenticing with his mentor Grizz. Ben wants his own space, which he now has, all he needs is clients! Unfortunately, being a small town with most of the residents being seniors, things are a little slow. He needs something dynamic to attract more clients. Ben and Blair meet the first time when he is returning her shoe she lost on a float she was reluctantly riding for the Easter Parade. They meet again in the Mayor's office, where Ivy is bribing them to work together. Neither Blair nor Ben have a problem working together.
This sweet heartwarming romance has a lot of laugh out loud moments. Ben and Blair are immediately attracted to each other and their mating game is very sweet and leads to hot sexy moments. Ben is every girl's dream. Honest, sexy, very forgiving and trusting. Blair is keeping secrets that will effect both of their futures. She doesn't want to give him up, but her life plan is calling her back to New York City. Her heart is telling her she doesn't want to leave Ben or Celebration.
I enjoyed reading Ben's and Blair's story and hope their are more stories to come from Celebration and it's quirky lovable residents.
I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.
Pat Fordyce
August 18, 2014
Review originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-perman...
Permanent Ink is a contemporary romance and the second book in the Something to Celebrate series by Laura Simcox. I wasn’t aware that this was part of a series until after I requested for review. I guess I was blinded by the tattooed hot guy on the cover and missed that part. :) This is also a new to me author and the blurb had all the ingredients sure to intrigue.
Blurb from Goodreads:
Blair Whitaker comes to Celebration to visit her aunt after losing her job in the big city. She’s jobless, homeless and is looking for a place to crash until she can find another party planning company who will take her on after the disaster that was her last position. Fortunately for her, Celebration is looking for an event planner to manage the many parades and town events. Like Inkfest and the upcoming Fourth of July parade. She meets Ben almost the moment she rides into town and it’s lust at first sight for both of them. They really start to get to know each other when they are thrown together planning both events. Inkfest is a way for Ben to get his small business Skinnovations off the ground and the parade and the contest it’s entered into is a way for Blair to get back on her feet and get out-of-town.
You know all those hard-core alpha, moody, slightly dark tatted up heroes you’re used to reading about? Well, Ben Lambert is not that kind of hero and to be honest it was kind of refreshing. He’s just your regular sexy, inked small business owner trying to scratch out a living in the small town of Celebration. He’s delightfully beta and doesn’t come across as a pushy, knows how sexy he is and uses it to his advantage jerk that is so common in today’s romance. I liked Ben. I liked Ben so much that he is pretty much one of the only reason why I finished reading this book.
Blair is….. well, at the beginning Blair is an uptight list-maker who sticks to her plans and is anal about marking all her to-do items off one by one. Hey, I’m a list-maker who is constantly thinking about what’s up next in my head, so this is not why I didn’t care for Blair. I get the Blair who rode into town on an Easter float slightly confused about what the hell is going on with her life and has big plans once she is offered a new job. I was all about that Blair. It’s the vague, evasive, judgey woman she morphed into about halfway through that I just couldn’t connect with.
Ben and Blair begin a relationship almost immediately, maybe not a full on sexual relationship, but they become friends and make googly eyes at each other until they eventually can’t keep their hands off one another. That’s when Blair goes off the rails. Her plan to get the heck out-of-town after winning the big contest with her super special parade starts to backfire once she falls for Ben. So she decides to sabotage the whole thing by not sticking to her lists, having the country bumpkin residents of the town help her with the planning and making the whole thing so confusing that it will end in disaster. So in essence she is using the town’s unsuspecting citizen’s less than sophisticated, outlandish ways against them. To be honest, I think this was supposed to be funny in a wacky, it’s getting out of control way, but I could not get behind this Blair or her actions. Every time she justified to herself that what she was doing was for the best, and she does this a lot, I wanted to reach into the book and pop her upside the head. Way to be uncool Blair.
Let me give you an idea of my other frustration with this book. Here is this couple’s relationship in a nutshell:
She keeps secrets. Ben gets mad and walks away. He comes back and they make up. He finds something else out and she swears that’s the only thing that she’s keeping from him, he walks away again. He comes back and tries to talk to her, but she’s not ready. Some other secret comes out and Ben gets mad and disappears again. Do they talk it out? Um… no, they never talk. Talking is a no go for this couple. They do end up boinking each other silly off page, but there is no talking because Blair is avoiding any mention of the parade and Inkfest because she knows it’ll be a clusterfuck. And on and on until the big climax.
This pattern of her keeping secrets and him walking away drove me crazy. Crazzzzzyyyyy.
Ben and the colorful secondary characters kind of made up for Blair and my frustrations with her actions. Just a little. I liked them and as always enjoyed reading about small town life and how everyone revolves around each other. Permanent Ink didn’t work for me, but I want to try another by this author. Final Grade- C-
Favorite Quote:
“Firefly. I’ll agree to almost anything where you’re concerned.”
Permanent Ink is a contemporary romance and the second book in the Something to Celebrate series by Laura Simcox. I wasn’t aware that this was part of a series until after I requested for review. I guess I was blinded by the tattooed hot guy on the cover and missed that part. :) This is also a new to me author and the blurb had all the ingredients sure to intrigue.
Blurb from Goodreads:
Blair Whitaker has one goal: get the hell out of Celebration, NY. Her ticket out is helping the town take the grand prize in a parade contest, which will ensure she lands her dream job. It’s a win-win.
Standing in the way is Ben Lambert, a sexy, local tattoo artist whose smile makes her weak. To win the contest, she’ll have to sideline his plans for the tattoo festival the town council allowed on the same weekend. But trying to thwart Ben is more than she bargained for, and before she knows it, she’s starting to see Celebration–and Ben–as something more than a temporary distraction.
But Blair’s in too deep to change directions now. Celebration is behind the parade contest, the mayor revokes the tattoo festival permit, and Blair is on the cusp of getting everything she’d planned. But coming clean will turn Ben against her for good, and going forward means losing what she really wants and hurting the town she’s grown to love.
Blair Whitaker comes to Celebration to visit her aunt after losing her job in the big city. She’s jobless, homeless and is looking for a place to crash until she can find another party planning company who will take her on after the disaster that was her last position. Fortunately for her, Celebration is looking for an event planner to manage the many parades and town events. Like Inkfest and the upcoming Fourth of July parade. She meets Ben almost the moment she rides into town and it’s lust at first sight for both of them. They really start to get to know each other when they are thrown together planning both events. Inkfest is a way for Ben to get his small business Skinnovations off the ground and the parade and the contest it’s entered into is a way for Blair to get back on her feet and get out-of-town.
You know all those hard-core alpha, moody, slightly dark tatted up heroes you’re used to reading about? Well, Ben Lambert is not that kind of hero and to be honest it was kind of refreshing. He’s just your regular sexy, inked small business owner trying to scratch out a living in the small town of Celebration. He’s delightfully beta and doesn’t come across as a pushy, knows how sexy he is and uses it to his advantage jerk that is so common in today’s romance. I liked Ben. I liked Ben so much that he is pretty much one of the only reason why I finished reading this book.
Blair is….. well, at the beginning Blair is an uptight list-maker who sticks to her plans and is anal about marking all her to-do items off one by one. Hey, I’m a list-maker who is constantly thinking about what’s up next in my head, so this is not why I didn’t care for Blair. I get the Blair who rode into town on an Easter float slightly confused about what the hell is going on with her life and has big plans once she is offered a new job. I was all about that Blair. It’s the vague, evasive, judgey woman she morphed into about halfway through that I just couldn’t connect with.
Ben and Blair begin a relationship almost immediately, maybe not a full on sexual relationship, but they become friends and make googly eyes at each other until they eventually can’t keep their hands off one another. That’s when Blair goes off the rails. Her plan to get the heck out-of-town after winning the big contest with her super special parade starts to backfire once she falls for Ben. So she decides to sabotage the whole thing by not sticking to her lists, having the country bumpkin residents of the town help her with the planning and making the whole thing so confusing that it will end in disaster. So in essence she is using the town’s unsuspecting citizen’s less than sophisticated, outlandish ways against them. To be honest, I think this was supposed to be funny in a wacky, it’s getting out of control way, but I could not get behind this Blair or her actions. Every time she justified to herself that what she was doing was for the best, and she does this a lot, I wanted to reach into the book and pop her upside the head. Way to be uncool Blair.
Let me give you an idea of my other frustration with this book. Here is this couple’s relationship in a nutshell:
She keeps secrets. Ben gets mad and walks away. He comes back and they make up. He finds something else out and she swears that’s the only thing that she’s keeping from him, he walks away again. He comes back and tries to talk to her, but she’s not ready. Some other secret comes out and Ben gets mad and disappears again. Do they talk it out? Um… no, they never talk. Talking is a no go for this couple. They do end up boinking each other silly off page, but there is no talking because Blair is avoiding any mention of the parade and Inkfest because she knows it’ll be a clusterfuck. And on and on until the big climax.
This pattern of her keeping secrets and him walking away drove me crazy. Crazzzzzyyyyy.
Ben and the colorful secondary characters kind of made up for Blair and my frustrations with her actions. Just a little. I liked them and as always enjoyed reading about small town life and how everyone revolves around each other. Permanent Ink didn’t work for me, but I want to try another by this author. Final Grade- C-
Favorite Quote:
“Firefly. I’ll agree to almost anything where you’re concerned.”
August 16, 2014
In a classic case of opposites attract, uptight event planner Blair and laid back tattoo artist Ben find love in the unlikely town of Celebration, NY. With a fun and quirky cast of characters, PERMANENT INK will suck you in quickly and keep you captivated until the last page.
Blair Whitaker needs a fresh start, and she's determined to find it in Celebration, NY. After a spectacular departure from her event planning job in NYC, Blair heads upstate to stay with family and lick her wounds. She realizes quickly that she could help the town take the grand prize in an Independence Day parade contest, which comes with a sweet job offer to boot. Offered the position as the town's event coordinator, nothing is going to stand in her way, even the town's sexy as sin tattoo artist Ben Lambert.
Ben has just been given the OK to hold a huge tattoo festival in the town...too bad it's the same day as Blair's parade! Ordered to work together by the mayor, Blair quickly realizes she'll have to screw over Ben's plans if hers are going to succeed, but once she gets to know the man she can't focus on anything other than her lust for him. The two quickly become addicted to one another, but now Blair's in danger of losing her man once he finds out how far she'll go to win the parade contest.
Blair is on the cusp of wining the contest and leaving town, but she's not sure anymore that she wants to go now that she's fallen in love with Ben and Celebration. Just how far will she go to get what she wants?
PERMANENT INK is a Something to Celebrate novel about the quirky folks of Celebration, NY. I quickly became enraptured by this book and its cast of characters and I truly didn't want the journey to end.
Blair was amazing; I think we all know somebody like her who is uber organized and obsessed with success. Although her reasons don't always seem sane, to a hyper type A personality, they make sense. And how hot was Ben?! Who doesn't love a sexy looking bad boy with a soft personality and heart of gold? Their instant chemistry was explosive; the sexual tension between them kept me in a fog of lust just reading about them! The sex scenes didn't disappoint either; they were passionate and erotic and done just right.
Now, as much as I adored PERMANENT INK, there were points where I was genuinely confused about what exactly Blair was holding back and why. She got blasted from all sides for her duplicity, but I was confused as to what exactly had everyone up in arms. In the end, I wound up knocking Ben down several pegs on my book boyfriend list due to his hissy fits. He got upset over seemingly nothing and was constantly walking away from Blair when she needed him to support her. He begged for her trust but betrayed that by not being there for her when she needed him, acting like a sullen 18-year old boy and ignoring her when she tried to talk to him.
Even so, this book was so incredibly awesome that I was glued to the epages from beginning to end, hoping that the two of them would work things out and become that kick-ass couple I knew they could be. With the HEA that Ms. Simcox gave us, PERMANENT INK turned into one excellent read. I can't wait for more of the town of Celebration!
Blair Whitaker needs a fresh start, and she's determined to find it in Celebration, NY. After a spectacular departure from her event planning job in NYC, Blair heads upstate to stay with family and lick her wounds. She realizes quickly that she could help the town take the grand prize in an Independence Day parade contest, which comes with a sweet job offer to boot. Offered the position as the town's event coordinator, nothing is going to stand in her way, even the town's sexy as sin tattoo artist Ben Lambert.
Ben has just been given the OK to hold a huge tattoo festival in the town...too bad it's the same day as Blair's parade! Ordered to work together by the mayor, Blair quickly realizes she'll have to screw over Ben's plans if hers are going to succeed, but once she gets to know the man she can't focus on anything other than her lust for him. The two quickly become addicted to one another, but now Blair's in danger of losing her man once he finds out how far she'll go to win the parade contest.
Blair is on the cusp of wining the contest and leaving town, but she's not sure anymore that she wants to go now that she's fallen in love with Ben and Celebration. Just how far will she go to get what she wants?
PERMANENT INK is a Something to Celebrate novel about the quirky folks of Celebration, NY. I quickly became enraptured by this book and its cast of characters and I truly didn't want the journey to end.
Blair was amazing; I think we all know somebody like her who is uber organized and obsessed with success. Although her reasons don't always seem sane, to a hyper type A personality, they make sense. And how hot was Ben?! Who doesn't love a sexy looking bad boy with a soft personality and heart of gold? Their instant chemistry was explosive; the sexual tension between them kept me in a fog of lust just reading about them! The sex scenes didn't disappoint either; they were passionate and erotic and done just right.
Now, as much as I adored PERMANENT INK, there were points where I was genuinely confused about what exactly Blair was holding back and why. She got blasted from all sides for her duplicity, but I was confused as to what exactly had everyone up in arms. In the end, I wound up knocking Ben down several pegs on my book boyfriend list due to his hissy fits. He got upset over seemingly nothing and was constantly walking away from Blair when she needed him to support her. He begged for her trust but betrayed that by not being there for her when she needed him, acting like a sullen 18-year old boy and ignoring her when she tried to talk to him.
Even so, this book was so incredibly awesome that I was glued to the epages from beginning to end, hoping that the two of them would work things out and become that kick-ass couple I knew they could be. With the HEA that Ms. Simcox gave us, PERMANENT INK turned into one excellent read. I can't wait for more of the town of Celebration!
August 16, 2014
Welcome to the meddling & kooky town of Celebrate & see how 2 lonely hearts beat as one with a lot of forced help from it's citizens.
Blair is back in Celebrate & hates it with every breath she takes. She loved her big city life, but the unimaginative idiot she worked for tainted any chance she had of finding a new job. She had to move back in with her Aunt Lola (who raised both her sisters' kids) & her Cousin Kaley. Now she must get the town's Community Events Director job & plan the perfect parade, so the town of Celebrate wins the Parade contest & she wins back her big city life.
Ben came to Celebrate to open his own tattoo parlor, but his business is slowing dying with his bank account. His mentor, Grizz, comes to Celebrate to hand over the annual The Ink Fest to him. Ben knows that The Ink Fest will make him & his parlor #1, so he must get Mayor Liv to welcome the tattooed crazed fest it to Celebrate.
Mayor Liv gives Blair the Community Events Director job & welcomes The Ink Fest to Celebrate. Now Blair must plan the best parade to win her dream job & also help Ben with The Ink Fest. Now there is a 3rd character in this romance read & I think of this character as the Fairy Godmother & she is the town of Celebrate & it's original, kooky, old, crusty & hilarious collection of townsfolk. Celebrate's folks help by weaving many love spells at Blair & Ben & their desires begin to buildup & is highly explosive. Whenever Blair is around Ben, her hormones go into hyperspace. Ben pops wood whenever he gets near Blair & the burning need for her is tormenting him. They soon learn that The Ink Fest & parade contest are scheduled for the same weekend & a sexy female tattoo artist comes to town & threatens their budding relationship. Can Blair sabotage Ben to go back to her old life? Will Ben unlock his heart before it's to late? How will Celebrate save the day for these 2 crazy kids?
This is my 1st Laura Simcox romance & I absolutely fell in love with her kooky & hilarious Celebrate & I didn't want to leave. When I walked into Deb's Donuts, my eyes were assaulted by pigs galore. When I meet crusty Colleen, she gave me a piece of her mind & assault my toes via her killer walker. Ms. Simcox made Sunnyside Retirement Center the heart & soul of Celebrate. My personal favorite is what I call the Loud Color Squad starring Barb, Paula & Sheila. They love to wear all the colors of the Neon rainbow at the same time & my eyes will never be the same! Blair was a accident waiting to happen with her many parade misadventures, but she truly needed Celebrate back in her blood. Ben was a yummy, sexy & tattooed hero with his hidden past life, but he just needed to accept Celebrate as his pseudo family. Ms. Simcox embraced her inner Fairy Godmotherness throughout this romance & made me HYPERVENTILATE with laughter, snort, made my Kindle singed & made me make a reservation for membership at Sunnyside for myself & hope Colleen is my roommate. I can now pull out my pompoms & my walker & cheer as a new fan for Laura Simcox & her crazy Celebrate world! I give this read a score of 4 fingers up & 8 toes & can't wait for the next one!
NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.
Blair is back in Celebrate & hates it with every breath she takes. She loved her big city life, but the unimaginative idiot she worked for tainted any chance she had of finding a new job. She had to move back in with her Aunt Lola (who raised both her sisters' kids) & her Cousin Kaley. Now she must get the town's Community Events Director job & plan the perfect parade, so the town of Celebrate wins the Parade contest & she wins back her big city life.
Ben came to Celebrate to open his own tattoo parlor, but his business is slowing dying with his bank account. His mentor, Grizz, comes to Celebrate to hand over the annual The Ink Fest to him. Ben knows that The Ink Fest will make him & his parlor #1, so he must get Mayor Liv to welcome the tattooed crazed fest it to Celebrate.
Mayor Liv gives Blair the Community Events Director job & welcomes The Ink Fest to Celebrate. Now Blair must plan the best parade to win her dream job & also help Ben with The Ink Fest. Now there is a 3rd character in this romance read & I think of this character as the Fairy Godmother & she is the town of Celebrate & it's original, kooky, old, crusty & hilarious collection of townsfolk. Celebrate's folks help by weaving many love spells at Blair & Ben & their desires begin to buildup & is highly explosive. Whenever Blair is around Ben, her hormones go into hyperspace. Ben pops wood whenever he gets near Blair & the burning need for her is tormenting him. They soon learn that The Ink Fest & parade contest are scheduled for the same weekend & a sexy female tattoo artist comes to town & threatens their budding relationship. Can Blair sabotage Ben to go back to her old life? Will Ben unlock his heart before it's to late? How will Celebrate save the day for these 2 crazy kids?
This is my 1st Laura Simcox romance & I absolutely fell in love with her kooky & hilarious Celebrate & I didn't want to leave. When I walked into Deb's Donuts, my eyes were assaulted by pigs galore. When I meet crusty Colleen, she gave me a piece of her mind & assault my toes via her killer walker. Ms. Simcox made Sunnyside Retirement Center the heart & soul of Celebrate. My personal favorite is what I call the Loud Color Squad starring Barb, Paula & Sheila. They love to wear all the colors of the Neon rainbow at the same time & my eyes will never be the same! Blair was a accident waiting to happen with her many parade misadventures, but she truly needed Celebrate back in her blood. Ben was a yummy, sexy & tattooed hero with his hidden past life, but he just needed to accept Celebrate as his pseudo family. Ms. Simcox embraced her inner Fairy Godmotherness throughout this romance & made me HYPERVENTILATE with laughter, snort, made my Kindle singed & made me make a reservation for membership at Sunnyside for myself & hope Colleen is my roommate. I can now pull out my pompoms & my walker & cheer as a new fan for Laura Simcox & her crazy Celebrate world! I give this read a score of 4 fingers up & 8 toes & can't wait for the next one!
NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.
August 8, 2014
**This book was provided to me by the publisher for an honest review**
I am a huge fan of tattoo'd heroes and tattoo artists there is something edgy and dangerous about them that appeals to that "bad boy" attraction I have. Imagine my surprise when reading this book and finding out the hero who owns a tattoo parlour is actually a pretty laid back "normal" guy. Don't get me wrong I liked him but can't say I'd rave about him, he is sweet and nice, no edge about him at all.
This all being said means I'm in a bit of a dilemma..there were things I really liked about the novel and things that just didn't work for me. So lets start with the things I just didn't connect with....The female protagonist..Blair.
I didn't really get Blair..down and out had to come home with her tail between her legs...yes she is funny and I did laugh at times but she lies, avoids the truth, keeps secrets and for me that made her unlikable. I found her maturity was that of her cousin and that living in the city did not give her any finesse...I absolutely did not get an urban feel from her. The gossiping with the other ladies from city hall and sharing information that should not have been shared at this point, the whining she did about her old boss in NYC...it all points to a very young, very unworldly, immature girl. No can't say I "got" Blair.
Ben. I liked Ben but didn't love him.. I got where he was coming from ..just wanting to be laid back and live his life ..easy. He was a nice boy next door type of guy. He was not alpha at all...he put up with Blair's lies and then rewarded her by being nice to her ...the relationship was very one sided in many ways. For me he was just not a strong male protagonist. I didn't get how him coming from a wealthy background played into the story at all and am not sure why this was even brought up in the story as it didn't play a role.
Starling. Nothing about this character made much sense to me...her manic behaviour and loving a nerdy guy...and her talking big and seemly being a bit of a "partier" it all just didn't add up and I absolutely did not like her at all.
Ok lets get to the good stuff. I loved the town of Celebration, adored the seniors, loved the other town people that we met...and I think this setting has a lot of potential. The Senior centre as a place to hold the Inkfest could have been exploited so much better I could just see some hilarity going on..especially with the characters LS had already introduced and allows us reader to connect with...I *loved* the old ladies of Celebration! This too could be exploited and then we may have had a better and more well rounded story. Other aspects of this novel that I really liked was Grizz, I found him a very interesting character and would love to see more of him...it was like we were teased but no follow through...Grizz and a Celebration Senior would be a hoot.
So there was good and bad for me..which made the read meh...For me the read was a 2.5 but I have upped it to a 3 based on the town and likability of the town's characters. No recommendation but appreciated the opportunity to read and review.
I am a huge fan of tattoo'd heroes and tattoo artists there is something edgy and dangerous about them that appeals to that "bad boy" attraction I have. Imagine my surprise when reading this book and finding out the hero who owns a tattoo parlour is actually a pretty laid back "normal" guy. Don't get me wrong I liked him but can't say I'd rave about him, he is sweet and nice, no edge about him at all.
This all being said means I'm in a bit of a dilemma..there were things I really liked about the novel and things that just didn't work for me. So lets start with the things I just didn't connect with....The female protagonist..Blair.
I didn't really get Blair..down and out had to come home with her tail between her legs...yes she is funny and I did laugh at times but she lies, avoids the truth, keeps secrets and for me that made her unlikable. I found her maturity was that of her cousin and that living in the city did not give her any finesse...I absolutely did not get an urban feel from her. The gossiping with the other ladies from city hall and sharing information that should not have been shared at this point, the whining she did about her old boss in NYC...it all points to a very young, very unworldly, immature girl. No can't say I "got" Blair.
Ben. I liked Ben but didn't love him.. I got where he was coming from ..just wanting to be laid back and live his life ..easy. He was a nice boy next door type of guy. He was not alpha at all...he put up with Blair's lies and then rewarded her by being nice to her ...the relationship was very one sided in many ways. For me he was just not a strong male protagonist. I didn't get how him coming from a wealthy background played into the story at all and am not sure why this was even brought up in the story as it didn't play a role.
Starling. Nothing about this character made much sense to me...her manic behaviour and loving a nerdy guy...and her talking big and seemly being a bit of a "partier" it all just didn't add up and I absolutely did not like her at all.
Ok lets get to the good stuff. I loved the town of Celebration, adored the seniors, loved the other town people that we met...and I think this setting has a lot of potential. The Senior centre as a place to hold the Inkfest could have been exploited so much better I could just see some hilarity going on..especially with the characters LS had already introduced and allows us reader to connect with...I *loved* the old ladies of Celebration! This too could be exploited and then we may have had a better and more well rounded story. Other aspects of this novel that I really liked was Grizz, I found him a very interesting character and would love to see more of him...it was like we were teased but no follow through...Grizz and a Celebration Senior would be a hoot.
So there was good and bad for me..which made the read meh...For me the read was a 2.5 but I have upped it to a 3 based on the town and likability of the town's characters. No recommendation but appreciated the opportunity to read and review.
February 12, 2015
Review from: http://mischievousreads.blogspot.com/
***ARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing in exchange for honest review
I thought that this was going to be one of those stories with violence and dark secrets and whatnot, but instead we got a sweet love story between a tattooed guy and a slightly obsessive compulsive girl. This book is definitely one of those that made me scream in anguish when I finished because this was just so cute and so awesome that I didn't want it to be over. I love everything about this book.
This is the second installment to the "Something to Celebrate" series (I haven't read the first book yet, but I'm excited to) and it features Blair Whitaker, who travels to Celebration, a small town in New York to live with her aunt and cousin. Terribly, she's in need of a job, and she manages to land the event planner job at the town council. She joins the town in a parade contest with a prize of fifty grand and an internship for the event planner at one of the biggest event planning agencies in New York - her key to success. But she's to work side by side with Ben Lambert, a tattoo artist and he's also preparing to host his big tattoo festival, InkFest, which would interfere with Blair's plans to getting that prize internship.
Blair Whitaker is the typical working girl who dreams of success. She's an obsessive compulsive, very organized and actually follows a "to-do" list. She's not exactly a striking lead character, but her quirks and antics are funny and a perfect contradiction to Ben's "bad boy" image. And to top that, she's a redhead. (I just love redheads so much)
But Ben is not exactly a bad boy. He may be covered in tattoos but he's no delinquent. His passion towards the art of tattoo inking is very overwhelming. And not only is he an artist, he's also a sweet lover. He's definitely one of those guys who are always misjudged and misunderstood despite their big fat heart. I'd love a guy like Ben someday. (Hell, I'd love almost all the lead guys in every romance book I've read. Hah!)
What I like about this story that it's not just centered on Blair and Ben's love affair, but there are also other characters provided in the story that are unique and fun in their own way. Especially the hilarious love triangle between the senior citizens Lola Whitaker, Colleen Callahan and Bill Benson. There is interaction among almost all the minor characters and they do serve a purpose, unlike some novels where almost all the characters get so jumbled up, they end up being unnecessary additions to the plot.
But other than the story being quite fast paced and a really quick happy ever after, I don't have any other complaints.
FOR MORE REVIEWS:
***ARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing in exchange for honest review
I thought that this was going to be one of those stories with violence and dark secrets and whatnot, but instead we got a sweet love story between a tattooed guy and a slightly obsessive compulsive girl. This book is definitely one of those that made me scream in anguish when I finished because this was just so cute and so awesome that I didn't want it to be over. I love everything about this book.
This is the second installment to the "Something to Celebrate" series (I haven't read the first book yet, but I'm excited to) and it features Blair Whitaker, who travels to Celebration, a small town in New York to live with her aunt and cousin. Terribly, she's in need of a job, and she manages to land the event planner job at the town council. She joins the town in a parade contest with a prize of fifty grand and an internship for the event planner at one of the biggest event planning agencies in New York - her key to success. But she's to work side by side with Ben Lambert, a tattoo artist and he's also preparing to host his big tattoo festival, InkFest, which would interfere with Blair's plans to getting that prize internship.
Blair Whitaker is the typical working girl who dreams of success. She's an obsessive compulsive, very organized and actually follows a "to-do" list. She's not exactly a striking lead character, but her quirks and antics are funny and a perfect contradiction to Ben's "bad boy" image. And to top that, she's a redhead. (I just love redheads so much)
But Ben is not exactly a bad boy. He may be covered in tattoos but he's no delinquent. His passion towards the art of tattoo inking is very overwhelming. And not only is he an artist, he's also a sweet lover. He's definitely one of those guys who are always misjudged and misunderstood despite their big fat heart. I'd love a guy like Ben someday. (Hell, I'd love almost all the lead guys in every romance book I've read. Hah!)
What I like about this story that it's not just centered on Blair and Ben's love affair, but there are also other characters provided in the story that are unique and fun in their own way. Especially the hilarious love triangle between the senior citizens Lola Whitaker, Colleen Callahan and Bill Benson. There is interaction among almost all the minor characters and they do serve a purpose, unlike some novels where almost all the characters get so jumbled up, they end up being unnecessary additions to the plot.
But other than the story being quite fast paced and a really quick happy ever after, I don't have any other complaints.
FOR MORE REVIEWS:
August 4, 2014
Permanent Ink, the newest addition to Laura Simcox's Something to Celebrate series, is an absolutely charming and very steamy romance. Set in the small fictional town of Celebration, NY, this engaging story has a wonderful cast of offbeat but likable characters and a marvelously unique storyline.
Blair Whitaker is only planning on staying in Celebration long enough to get her life back on track. When a plum job pretty much falls in her lap, she eagerly grabs the opportunity to use it to help her salvage her faltering career. The town mayor forces Blair to work with super sexy tattoo artist and local business owner Ben Lambert and although these two share nothing in common but a scorching hot attraction, they are surprised by how well they work together. When a scheduling conflict between Ben's tattoo festival and the parade contest threatens her plans, Blair concocts a rather underhanded scheme to save the contest at the expense of the festival. Once her relationship with Ben deepens into something more serious than shared desire, she rethinks her plans for her future but is it too late for her to stop the events she has set into motion?
Blair is independent and stubborn and while this is usually a good thing, it is occasionally one of her biggest downfalls. She is also incredibly self-sufficient and she lets her pride sometimes get in her way of asking for help. Blair is surprised by how easily the town accepts her into their fold and she eagerly reconnects with her aunt and cousin. But when she runs into trouble, instead of turning to family and friends, Blair falls back into her old habit of relying on herself to fix her problems.
Ben is laidback and easygoing which makes it easy for Blair to underestimate him. He likes the slower pace of life in Celebration but he miscalculated the difficulty he would encounter growing his tattoo business. The tattoo festival means not just bringing in new clients but, more importantly, it is his chance to honor his close friend and mentor. While Ben harbors a few secrets, he is a straight shooter who is more than happy to work with Blair but in the end, he is deeply hurt by Blair's betrayal.
The romance between Ben and Blair is understated but it is absolutely delightful watching their relationship evolve over the course of the novel. While most of the story centers around the parade and festival, the two indulge in a few love scenes that are sinfully sexy. Unfortunately, lack of communication, a few misunderstandings and Blair's scheming threaten their fragile bond.
Permanent Ink is an angst-free romance that is fast-paced and engaging from beginning to end. This opposites attract love story is sure to be a hit with old and new fans of Laura Simcox's Something to Celebrate series.
Blair Whitaker is only planning on staying in Celebration long enough to get her life back on track. When a plum job pretty much falls in her lap, she eagerly grabs the opportunity to use it to help her salvage her faltering career. The town mayor forces Blair to work with super sexy tattoo artist and local business owner Ben Lambert and although these two share nothing in common but a scorching hot attraction, they are surprised by how well they work together. When a scheduling conflict between Ben's tattoo festival and the parade contest threatens her plans, Blair concocts a rather underhanded scheme to save the contest at the expense of the festival. Once her relationship with Ben deepens into something more serious than shared desire, she rethinks her plans for her future but is it too late for her to stop the events she has set into motion?
Blair is independent and stubborn and while this is usually a good thing, it is occasionally one of her biggest downfalls. She is also incredibly self-sufficient and she lets her pride sometimes get in her way of asking for help. Blair is surprised by how easily the town accepts her into their fold and she eagerly reconnects with her aunt and cousin. But when she runs into trouble, instead of turning to family and friends, Blair falls back into her old habit of relying on herself to fix her problems.
Ben is laidback and easygoing which makes it easy for Blair to underestimate him. He likes the slower pace of life in Celebration but he miscalculated the difficulty he would encounter growing his tattoo business. The tattoo festival means not just bringing in new clients but, more importantly, it is his chance to honor his close friend and mentor. While Ben harbors a few secrets, he is a straight shooter who is more than happy to work with Blair but in the end, he is deeply hurt by Blair's betrayal.
The romance between Ben and Blair is understated but it is absolutely delightful watching their relationship evolve over the course of the novel. While most of the story centers around the parade and festival, the two indulge in a few love scenes that are sinfully sexy. Unfortunately, lack of communication, a few misunderstandings and Blair's scheming threaten their fragile bond.
Permanent Ink is an angst-free romance that is fast-paced and engaging from beginning to end. This opposites attract love story is sure to be a hit with old and new fans of Laura Simcox's Something to Celebrate series.
August 7, 2014
Blair Whitaker has one goal: get the hell out of Celebration, NY. Her ticket out is helping the town take the grand prize in a parade contest, which will ensure she lands her dream job. It's a win-win.
Standing in the way is Ben Lambert, a sexy, local tattoo artist whose smile makes her weak. To win the contest, she'll have to sideline his plans for the tattoo festival the town council allowed on the same weekend. But trying to thwart Ben is more than she bargained for, and before she knows it, she's starting to see Celebration–and Ben–as something more than a temporary distraction.
But Blair's in too deep to change directions now. Celebration is behind the parade contest, the mayor revokes the tattoo festival permit, and Blair is on the cusp of getting everything she'd planned. But coming clean will turn Ben against her for good, and going forward means losing what she really wants and hurting the town she's grown to love.
Review:
I enjoyed this second story in the "Something to Celebrate" series and I did not feel lost or left out because I read the second book first. This is a hard review for me to write, I enjoyed the story but there were certain parts that I thought were slow and I just did not connect with. Now, that being said I think the Author is good, I just had a harder time connecting to the characters. I think cover may have lead me to believe this would have been a steamier read and that is on me. There are a couple of intimate scenes but they are more on the sweet side and a couple of times I winced at the terms used during the sexy scenes. I know most think alpha-male when they think about guys with tattoos, but Ben has to be one of the most sweet, intelligent and patient heroes that I have ever read. Blair just does not know what she wants, she is at a crossroads and makes some poor decisions. I liked Ben's character much more than Blair's, for her I spent too much time wanting to smack some sense into her...lol I thought the secondary characters were at times much more interesting and they really helped keep the storing going, at least for me. There were some fun parts like when Blair knocks the head off the chick in the Easter parade or when she finds out that the Grand Marshall for the 4th of July parade is a former porn star.
A good read and I will definitely go back and read the first book in the series.
3.5 Stars
Standing in the way is Ben Lambert, a sexy, local tattoo artist whose smile makes her weak. To win the contest, she'll have to sideline his plans for the tattoo festival the town council allowed on the same weekend. But trying to thwart Ben is more than she bargained for, and before she knows it, she's starting to see Celebration–and Ben–as something more than a temporary distraction.
But Blair's in too deep to change directions now. Celebration is behind the parade contest, the mayor revokes the tattoo festival permit, and Blair is on the cusp of getting everything she'd planned. But coming clean will turn Ben against her for good, and going forward means losing what she really wants and hurting the town she's grown to love.
Review:
I enjoyed this second story in the "Something to Celebrate" series and I did not feel lost or left out because I read the second book first. This is a hard review for me to write, I enjoyed the story but there were certain parts that I thought were slow and I just did not connect with. Now, that being said I think the Author is good, I just had a harder time connecting to the characters. I think cover may have lead me to believe this would have been a steamier read and that is on me. There are a couple of intimate scenes but they are more on the sweet side and a couple of times I winced at the terms used during the sexy scenes. I know most think alpha-male when they think about guys with tattoos, but Ben has to be one of the most sweet, intelligent and patient heroes that I have ever read. Blair just does not know what she wants, she is at a crossroads and makes some poor decisions. I liked Ben's character much more than Blair's, for her I spent too much time wanting to smack some sense into her...lol I thought the secondary characters were at times much more interesting and they really helped keep the storing going, at least for me. There were some fun parts like when Blair knocks the head off the chick in the Easter parade or when she finds out that the Grand Marshall for the 4th of July parade is a former porn star.
A good read and I will definitely go back and read the first book in the series.
3.5 Stars
August 11, 2014
I love this Something to Celebrate series! The first book, Ivy Entwined, introduced us to a small town in central New York, Celebration. This latest book, Permanent Ink, has many of the characters from the first book that I loved, as well as some new faces to Celebration. I can't deny that as a inked and steeled mama, I love Ben Lambert, the tattooed hunk of manliness at the front and center of this book!
This one centers around Blair and Ben. Blair has come to Celebration from NYC to stay with her Aunt Lola (whom we met in the first book) after her life took a downward turn. Blair is in a bad place in her life, ambitious and wanting more for herself. Coming home with her tail between her legs was never part of her plan. But she finds an unexpected opportunity in Celebration, one that could get her career back on track. But then there is Ben, a inked hottie with a big heart, and more than a few secrets of his own.
While Blair and Ben are our main characters, there is a whole cast of supporting characters that are as nutty as the others, some of whom we met in the last book. Ivy, Marcus, and Ivy's crazy grandmother are back, the latter of whom was one of my favorites. Ben's friend and mentor Grizz is hilarious and clearly the father figure in Ben's life. And then there is Starling...! This chick was nuts in so many ways, but an interesting character with a story line of her own that pretty much tore me up.
This is what I love so much about these books. So many of the characters, whether main or supporting, have their own story lines that are fantastic. They may not be the focus of the story, but they are just as interesting. The author has a way of making you feel like you are a member of the community, invested in the characters as you would be with a friend.
Things to love...
--The crazy characters. Some of them are certifiably nuts but so much fun!
--The story lines. Some of the story lines are funny, but many of them are deep and heart wrenching.
My Recommendation: This is a book that could probably be read as a standalone, but it is so much more if you read Ivy Entwined first. This is a great book with a great story and fantastic characters! I gave it 4.5 mugs!
This one centers around Blair and Ben. Blair has come to Celebration from NYC to stay with her Aunt Lola (whom we met in the first book) after her life took a downward turn. Blair is in a bad place in her life, ambitious and wanting more for herself. Coming home with her tail between her legs was never part of her plan. But she finds an unexpected opportunity in Celebration, one that could get her career back on track. But then there is Ben, a inked hottie with a big heart, and more than a few secrets of his own.
While Blair and Ben are our main characters, there is a whole cast of supporting characters that are as nutty as the others, some of whom we met in the last book. Ivy, Marcus, and Ivy's crazy grandmother are back, the latter of whom was one of my favorites. Ben's friend and mentor Grizz is hilarious and clearly the father figure in Ben's life. And then there is Starling...! This chick was nuts in so many ways, but an interesting character with a story line of her own that pretty much tore me up.
This is what I love so much about these books. So many of the characters, whether main or supporting, have their own story lines that are fantastic. They may not be the focus of the story, but they are just as interesting. The author has a way of making you feel like you are a member of the community, invested in the characters as you would be with a friend.
Things to love...
--The crazy characters. Some of them are certifiably nuts but so much fun!
--The story lines. Some of the story lines are funny, but many of them are deep and heart wrenching.
My Recommendation: This is a book that could probably be read as a standalone, but it is so much more if you read Ivy Entwined first. This is a great book with a great story and fantastic characters! I gave it 4.5 mugs!
August 4, 2014
I was so glad to take a trip back to this podunk town that someone refers to it as but I myself think is quite the place to escape to. Having traveled there once before I find myself returning to yet again another humorous romance wonderfully written by this author. She gives us more characters to embrace and fall in love with that embodies this town. One who has set up his own tattoo shop-Ben collides with one who is running to here-Blair after she has escaped the big city. This opens up once that collision has taken place a very humorous story about how these two join forces in more ways than one to once again shake up Celebrate. Having worked hard to have his own shop this is the place he has picked Ben helps Blair from a float that she is on when she replaces her cousin after she becomes incapacitated. This opens up new avenues for them both that neither I think thought would be traveled when they came here. They are thrown together to work together by the town mayor Ivy who is a hoot herself to plan events for the town after Blair comes applying for one of the only three jobs open in Celebrate. From there you get to go with these two to see just how well they make it work for them and the town. Of course this adventure is not without its ups and downs that are filled with humor as they encounter one hitch after another as they barrel towards the goals that could as easily tear them apart or bring them closer together. Revisit with others that if you have read like I have the first one characters already met but if not will still get a kick out of them that with these two give the story that added color (just like any small town). I think these two are just perfect together but when they are avoiding each other funny how miserable they are. Love small town stories they have such heart and life to them with this one being no exception. The story is very well wrapped up at the end also using a tattoo that is most fitting to do the job. Received a arc for a honest review.
August 11, 2014
Blair has lost her job but has plans to land her dream job. She sure doesn't plan to stick around Celebration, NY. The town just isn't for her. The town could help her with her dram job. All she has to do is make the town Fourth of July parade to win a contest and the job is hers. She hadn't planned on Ben. Ben is the town tattoo artist and has his own plans. He has just been handed the reigns to a big tattoo festival and it falls on the same week as the parade. They are working together on both festivals and she is starting to see a new light to the town and to Ben. The closer they get Blair realizes her dream job may not be the dream she wants anymore. She has done some thins that would make the town and Ben hate her so she has to fess up if she doesn't want to lose both.
Blair at times may come off snobby but she really isn't. She just doesn't understand a world of people who aren't fancy and are more laid back. She is stubborn, a hard worker and can be very sexy when she allows her self to let go. Ben is tattooed and very sexy. He is also very sweet, a hard worker and doesn't want anything handed to him. He has a past of his own that he left behind. He enjoys his work and considers it an art.
Celebration sounds like an amazing little town. It's the kind you want to visit. Everyone knows everyone's business but they are all there to pitch in when needed. Al the little scandals that are going on add the special little touch to the book that made it a joy to read. It made you see what small town life is like. Blair at times did get on my nerves but as she started to give the town and Ben a chance I did start to like her a lot. Ben I liked from the start. This book has lots of laughs and several hot moments as well. You even have a somewhat villain to not like. For a while anyway but I won't spoil that for you. If you want a great story about two people who are opposites but belong together and an amazing town check this one out.
Blair at times may come off snobby but she really isn't. She just doesn't understand a world of people who aren't fancy and are more laid back. She is stubborn, a hard worker and can be very sexy when she allows her self to let go. Ben is tattooed and very sexy. He is also very sweet, a hard worker and doesn't want anything handed to him. He has a past of his own that he left behind. He enjoys his work and considers it an art.
Celebration sounds like an amazing little town. It's the kind you want to visit. Everyone knows everyone's business but they are all there to pitch in when needed. Al the little scandals that are going on add the special little touch to the book that made it a joy to read. It made you see what small town life is like. Blair at times did get on my nerves but as she started to give the town and Ben a chance I did start to like her a lot. Ben I liked from the start. This book has lots of laughs and several hot moments as well. You even have a somewhat villain to not like. For a while anyway but I won't spoil that for you. If you want a great story about two people who are opposites but belong together and an amazing town check this one out.
August 4, 2014
This ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Celebration is one of the craziest places on earth and I mean that in the best of ways. This story is about Blair who loses her job in New York and comes to Celebration to regroup and figure out her life with the help of her Aunt Lola and her cousin Kayla. She arrives into town only to find out that her cousin the Easter Queen is drunk and can't be in the parade so she has to fill in for her since they look so much alike. In doing this she manages to behead the easter chicken display making a grand entrance into the town.
After making a fool of herself she meets Ben, the town's resident tattoo artist and all around amazing guy. Soon Ben and Blair end up working together to put on Ink Fest as well as the Fourth of July parade.
Lots of miscommunication and embarrassment lead to a plethora of misunderstandings that lead the couple running away and then back to eachother countless times.
Though I really did enjoy the book and especially the supporting cast I wasn't able to give it as many stars as I would have liked due to the fact that some of the problems in this book were so ridiculous it just bugged me. I know it was supposed to be endearing and the struggles were supposed to be realistic but how can someone say that they don't know the other person when they never talk or see eachother. That part of the book bothered me.
Other than that it was a great read out by the pool and I would like to pick up the first book in the series to read about Ivy and Marcus. They seem like an interesting couple.
Celebration is one of the craziest places on earth and I mean that in the best of ways. This story is about Blair who loses her job in New York and comes to Celebration to regroup and figure out her life with the help of her Aunt Lola and her cousin Kayla. She arrives into town only to find out that her cousin the Easter Queen is drunk and can't be in the parade so she has to fill in for her since they look so much alike. In doing this she manages to behead the easter chicken display making a grand entrance into the town.
After making a fool of herself she meets Ben, the town's resident tattoo artist and all around amazing guy. Soon Ben and Blair end up working together to put on Ink Fest as well as the Fourth of July parade.
Lots of miscommunication and embarrassment lead to a plethora of misunderstandings that lead the couple running away and then back to eachother countless times.
Though I really did enjoy the book and especially the supporting cast I wasn't able to give it as many stars as I would have liked due to the fact that some of the problems in this book were so ridiculous it just bugged me. I know it was supposed to be endearing and the struggles were supposed to be realistic but how can someone say that they don't know the other person when they never talk or see eachother. That part of the book bothered me.
Other than that it was a great read out by the pool and I would like to pick up the first book in the series to read about Ivy and Marcus. They seem like an interesting couple.
August 5, 2014
Blair was tucking her tail between her legs and going to her aunt Lola's' in Celebration NY. Her Aunt raised her from the day she was born and Blair felt ashamed. She didn't keep in contact with her aunt as she just had to much darn pride! Blair had lost her job as a party planner, and for 6 months had been struggling to find a job with no success.
From the moment Blair stepped foot in Celebration her goal was to get in, get a job in NY City, and get out. Then she meets Ben. Ben is the resident tattoo artist in town trying to find his own way.
This was a funny book in which the heroine has a skewed sense of what needs to be done to sabotage the 4th of July parade to miss getting an internship so she doesn't have to go to NY and leave Ben.
I had read just the other day the 1st book to this series Ivy Entwined set in the same town. It was great to have another book set in the same setting with a lot of the same characters. A great book, and I look forward to the further stories of the residents of Celebration. Especially one for Colleen Callahan. She is Fan-fucking-tastic!
I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.
From the moment Blair stepped foot in Celebration her goal was to get in, get a job in NY City, and get out. Then she meets Ben. Ben is the resident tattoo artist in town trying to find his own way.
This was a funny book in which the heroine has a skewed sense of what needs to be done to sabotage the 4th of July parade to miss getting an internship so she doesn't have to go to NY and leave Ben.
I had read just the other day the 1st book to this series Ivy Entwined set in the same town. It was great to have another book set in the same setting with a lot of the same characters. A great book, and I look forward to the further stories of the residents of Celebration. Especially one for Colleen Callahan. She is Fan-fucking-tastic!
I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.
July 27, 2014
Set in the fictional town of Celebration, New York, the story centers around the town’s many planned holiday celebrations and an out-of-work party planner. The premise of party planning versus tattoos is unusual and not a plot that I’d ever seen before and I’ve been reading romance novels for decades. The “opposites attract premise with a twist” premise works well here.
The story is full of humor and fun from accidents to overbearing elders to verbal diarrhea. There’s something for everyone. The sex scenes are hot but there’s not too many to put off the readers who don’t want to read such.
The only negative thing I have to say about the book is the cover. It’s a light-hearted story about a party planner and a tattoo artist, the cover suggests something darker and sinister to me. Perhaps if the model was in front of a lighter colored background it would lose that dark look.
So the cover notwithstanding, PERMANENT INK is enjoyable and fun and totally worth your time.
The story is full of humor and fun from accidents to overbearing elders to verbal diarrhea. There’s something for everyone. The sex scenes are hot but there’s not too many to put off the readers who don’t want to read such.
The only negative thing I have to say about the book is the cover. It’s a light-hearted story about a party planner and a tattoo artist, the cover suggests something darker and sinister to me. Perhaps if the model was in front of a lighter colored background it would lose that dark look.
So the cover notwithstanding, PERMANENT INK is enjoyable and fun and totally worth your time.
August 4, 2014
Set in the fictional town of Celebration, New York, the story centers around the town’s many planned holiday celebrations and an out-of-work party planner. The premise of party planning versus tattoos is unusual and not a plot that I’d ever seen before and I’ve been reading romance novels for decades. The “opposites attract premise with a twist” premise works well here.
The story is full of humor and fun from accidents to overbearing elders to verbal diarrhea. There’s something for everyone. The sex scenes are hot but there’s not too many to put off the readers who don’t want to read such.
The only negative thing I have to say about the book is the cover. It’s a light-hearted story about a party planner and a tattoo artist, the cover suggests something darker and sinister to me. Perhaps if the model was in front of a lighter colored background it would lose that dark look.
So the cover notwithstanding, PERMANENT INK is enjoyable and fun and totally worth your time.
The story is full of humor and fun from accidents to overbearing elders to verbal diarrhea. There’s something for everyone. The sex scenes are hot but there’s not too many to put off the readers who don’t want to read such.
The only negative thing I have to say about the book is the cover. It’s a light-hearted story about a party planner and a tattoo artist, the cover suggests something darker and sinister to me. Perhaps if the model was in front of a lighter colored background it would lose that dark look.
So the cover notwithstanding, PERMANENT INK is enjoyable and fun and totally worth your time.
August 13, 2014
Permanent Ink is the second book in the Something To Celebrate series. Even though it is a part of a series this novel can be read as a standalone. It is well written and well edited.
The story takes place in a small town in New York. The heroine has moved there after losing her job in the big city. She takes the job as the town's event planner hoping to win a Fourth of July parade contest in which one of the prizes is a job in New York City. But she falls in love with the Hero, a tattoo artist, and decides she doesn't want to leave the town, so she begins to try to sabotage the parade. The town characters and the heroine's antics add humor to the romance plot.
The cover and title made me think it was a motorcycle club/tattoo artist plot, but it is a light romance with some comedy.
I can recommend Permanent Ink to anyone looking for a light romance. ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
The story takes place in a small town in New York. The heroine has moved there after losing her job in the big city. She takes the job as the town's event planner hoping to win a Fourth of July parade contest in which one of the prizes is a job in New York City. But she falls in love with the Hero, a tattoo artist, and decides she doesn't want to leave the town, so she begins to try to sabotage the parade. The town characters and the heroine's antics add humor to the romance plot.
The cover and title made me think it was a motorcycle club/tattoo artist plot, but it is a light romance with some comedy.
I can recommend Permanent Ink to anyone looking for a light romance. ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
August 5, 2014
What a sweet story about finding yourself and falling in love with your opposite. I loved Ben in this story throughout the whole book. He was just an all around perfect guy, a little edgy, hot, down to earth, sweet and giving. There was not a moment that I did not like his character. And I loved his unique nickname for Blair. Blair was a fun character. I did enjoy her as well but there were times when I felt like bopping her and yelling at her "Woman!" She was a hot mess with good intentions.
The supporting characters in this story were hilarious. The fighting between the elders in the community, her troublemaker cousin Kaley and Ben's friends Starling and Grizz. I think I liked this book more than the first one and look forward to more visits to Celebration.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
The supporting characters in this story were hilarious. The fighting between the elders in the community, her troublemaker cousin Kaley and Ben's friends Starling and Grizz. I think I liked this book more than the first one and look forward to more visits to Celebration.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2014
The second book in the something to celebrate series. I enjoyed the first Ivy Entwined with Marcus and Ivy but Ben and Blaine's story called to me even more. These books take place in a town full of colorful characters that will have you laughing. Blaine moves to Celebration after quitting her job and not being able to find another. There she meets Ben who owns the tattoo business. These two people are nothing alike yet have an attraction to each other that is sweet. Yeah sweet is not normally a word you might use to describe a tattoo artist yet that is how Ben is.
The author portrays those who ink in a very positive light. I fell in love with Ben.,the town and chuckled on many occasions over the geriatric population and their crazy antics.
A wonderful series that will place a big fat smile on your face.
The author portrays those who ink in a very positive light. I fell in love with Ben.,the town and chuckled on many occasions over the geriatric population and their crazy antics.
A wonderful series that will place a big fat smile on your face.
August 13, 2014
Blair Whitaker is out of work and frustrated. She needs to find herself. Will she be successful in Celebration New York? She now has a job as the town's event planner and she has met a sexy man. Ben Lambert is a local tattoo artist. Together they are working together to plan Ink Fest and an Easter Parade. Why do they have to be at the same time. This story has it all. There's love, laughter, joy and pain. Blair and Ben are memorable characters. I liked them immediately. They may have different goals but their attraction is powerful. I wanted them to have a HEA. Will they take the chance? The story is filled with delightful supporting characters that made me laugh. I want to know more about this town and her people. Laura Simcox has a way with words that made this story come to life. I was hooked from the first page.
September 9, 2014
This was a 2.5 star read for me. Maybe this is a case of it's me not you but it took me over a month to read this book. I read over twenty books a month and this story did not capture my attention for more than 10-20 pages at a time. The main character, Blair, just wasn't very likable. The book was almost 400 pages which is probably 200 pages longer than it should be. The plot centers around a parade. The female characters in the small town are so hard to tell from one another. The love interest, Ben, seemed sweet and likable, too nice for Blair. I probably should have DNF'd this book but I was already 200 pages into it and thought I could just finish it. Maybe small town parade stories aren't my cup of tea.
August 9, 2014
This book did not flow. It felt like the first half was filled with Blaire and Ben saying they should have a conversation they never had. Tge second half was filled with actions you never read about, but were referred to by other characters. I might not have finished the book if it weren't for Ben; he was a great character. The town of Celebration and its residents were quirky and lovable. I think the book had a lot of potential, and hope the author keeps writing and maybe twerks her style a bit.
August 8, 2014
Blair is moving back in with her aunt who raised her after losing her job as an events planner. Her aunt has moved to the small town of Celebration after retiring as a lawyer. Blair isn't there a day and she is already thinking of how to get back out. She meets Ben, the local tattoo artist, at a parade where she fills in as the Easter Queen for her cousin on a float which was a hilarious was to introduce her to Celebration. Did I mention that Ben is super sexy and sweet? Only problem is that she and Ben both want to have an event the same weekend.
I give Permanent Ink 4 hearts!
I give Permanent Ink 4 hearts!
August 11, 2014
Blair takes Stress Queen to a whole new level...at times I was stressed reading about her! LOL. Ben isn't your typical tattooed hero. He's nice and gets what real love is. So many romance books now have a hero or heroine stop talking/break up with the other over something or another. Ben gets angry but he never stops loving Blair...even when she keeps important things from him and lies. Now the lies aren't HUGE but they do make a difference in Ben's life. It was a refreshing read. Well-written and sweet.
August 15, 2014
*Copy was given for an honest review*
This one one of them books that i had a love/ hate relationship with , There were parts i loved and wanted more, but in the same breath There were also parts that annoyed me and made me want to put the book back down. In saying that the author did a great job with the character and the story line. And i will pick up the next book... It carries a lot of steamy scenes , and a lot of laughing during the book. And I do recommend this series and this author to others...
This one one of them books that i had a love/ hate relationship with , There were parts i loved and wanted more, but in the same breath There were also parts that annoyed me and made me want to put the book back down. In saying that the author did a great job with the character and the story line. And i will pick up the next book... It carries a lot of steamy scenes , and a lot of laughing during the book. And I do recommend this series and this author to others...
August 1, 2014
This book really surprised me. It definitely falls into the "don't judge a book by it's cover (or title)" category. This is a wonderful small town romance that hooked me from the very beginning. Great kooky small town characters add a lot of humor and the budding romance between Blair and Ben is wonderful to watch. This is the first book by this author and she definitely has a new fan, I'm already diving into the first book in this series. I definitely recommend this one.
August 14, 2014
I am writing this review as I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. This book didn't appeal to me. I just couldn't get into it. It is about Blair and Ben. It is your typical boy meets girl, girl doesn't like guy, then decides she likes him. Something then happens that boy doesn't like her, and then they make up and have their happily ever after. It was not a bad book, but the subject matter was not interesting to me.
August 19, 2014
This one was pretty slow for me. It was super sweet, but it felt like not a whole lot happened. I was glad that Ben and Blair were able to work things out, but the story wasn’t interesting enough for me to want to go back and read #1 or continue with the series. Again, it was a sweet story, just one I’ll probably forget.
October 1, 2014
This story is about 2 people who know they want to be together, but lack the skills of communicating to each other. It's such a roller coaster of wanting to shake them to talk to each other. You'll just have to keep reading to find out if they get their Happily Ever After......
Want to read
July 19, 2014*NETGALLEY*
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