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Bone Deep
In the fall of 1946, grieving war widow Sarah goes to the carnival with her friends and is riveted by the tattooed man in the freak show, sporting head to toe body art. Later she discovers him hiding in her hayloft, escaped from virtual imprisonment since childhood by the carnival's evil owner. She shelters him on her farm, fighting a powerful sexual attraction while learning about his mysterious past and gentle nature.
218 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2005
51 people are currently reading
2641 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Dee
131 books698 followersI began telling stories as a child. Whenever there was a sleepover, I was the designated ghost tale teller. I still have a story printed on yellow legal paper in second grade about a ghost, a witch and a talking cat.
I enjoy dabbling in many genres. Whether you're a fan of contemporary historical or fantasy romance, you'll find something to enjoy among my books. I'm interested in flawed, often damaged, people who find the fulfillment they seek in one another. To stay informed about new releases, please sign up for my newsletter. You can join my street team at FB. Learn more about my backlist at http://bonniedee.com and find me on FB and Twitter @Bonnie_Dee.
I enjoy dabbling in many genres. Whether you're a fan of contemporary historical or fantasy romance, you'll find something to enjoy among my books. I'm interested in flawed, often damaged, people who find the fulfillment they seek in one another. To stay informed about new releases, please sign up for my newsletter. You can join my street team at FB. Learn more about my backlist at http://bonniedee.com and find me on FB and Twitter @Bonnie_Dee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
May 13, 2013
I loved, loved, loved this book! It's a beautiful story about unconditional love and acceptance. This is what a great romance book should be.
If you're looking for something a little bit different to read, this is it. Please give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
If you're looking for something a little bit different to read, this is it. Please give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
September 15, 2014
Bone Deep is a Stunning , Unique and Sensual Story which I won't soon forget.
Set in 1946, Sara a young widow of 18 months due to the tragedy of war, reluctantly agrees to attend a carnival with a few friends. Out of boredom she decides to view the freak show exhibit but immediately feels gawking at unique individuals is rude and inappropriate, causing her to walk through the tour as quickly as possible. Sarah notices one of the exhibits is empty but upon further examination she sees something move. A few moments later she realizes it’s NOT a something but rather a someone, whom is covered head to toe in intricate tattoos and the bearer of the bluest, most captivating eyes bestowed upon her.
My Sara:
STRONG. INDEPENDENT. KIND. ... That's really all you need to know about Sara but I'm feeling generous so I'll tell you a little bit more about her. Struggling with daily chores of running a farm, Sarah refuses to ask for help nor take advantage of kindness of strangers. Sara doesn’t waste time pouting or feeling sorry for herself but rather works diligently to accomplish what needs to be done.
My Tom :
GENTLE . KIND. BEAUTIFUL. (fuckable)........That's all you get, my generosity has run out .......... Just Kidding!
This man has Jahy written all over him. After countless years being prisoner to the traveling carnival's owner, Tom escapes and hides in Sara's barn. Sara finds him there the next day and........... Nope, I'm not spoiling the story, you MUST EXPERIENCE the unconventional love story for yourself. This couple will make you laugh, cry and surely cream your pants.
Friends PLEASE give this story a chance. I'm not a huge fan of romance yet this is one of my favorite reads this year.
** Special thanks to Bonnie Dee, for helping me realize I'm not such a pain in the ass. Your heroine is everything I expect from a female character and then some.**
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June 1, 2014
I really liked this one. Different. Set in the 1940’s, Sarah is a widow, living alone on a farm. Her husband was killed in the War.
Lying in bed, she stared out the window at the stars and mused that the images on the skin of the tattooed man were like the constellations, unrelated picture-stories joined together in glittering array
She goes to a Carnival with friends and sees the man with the tatooes. She is captivated.
He reached out and touched her red-brown hair, smoothing the silky strands.
“So bright.”
“Irish,” she explained.
“My maiden name is O’Donnell.”
Aw, knew I liked you. Mine is O’Connell.
He turns up in her barn. There is a connection between them. But it won’t be all plain sailing for them.
”He’s beautiful, like a stained glass window. And he’s really good with his … mouth.”
In 2014, if a tattooed guy showed up in my neighbourhood, there would be a bit of “talking” so I cannot imagine what it would have been like back in the 1940s.
I would have loved an Epilogue, a few years down the line.
September 4, 2021
5 stars
I really liked this one and the only thing I found which was not worth lowering a star for was a few editing issues, and those were pretty minor.
I loved the hero who was oh so tormented his whole life. A side show freak, tattooed over his entire body, held as basically a prisoner by carnival owner Reed and sexually abused by him as well (not detailed). Hero Tom escapes the carnival and finds widowed heroine who falls in love with him and helps him to slowly gain acceptance into the community.
I really felt the love between them as well as all their trials they had to endure with the townspeople.
This is a heavier, darker read because it touches on prejudice and being different. It is relatively painful at times, but not unbearable. There are periods of relief and a HEA. No worries!
Lots of conflict and action which kept the pace steady and left me hanging on the edge of my seat.
The characters were complex and well developed, and the antagonist was relatively believable, although could have used a bit more development.
At first, I regretted not having the hero's point of view. I wanted to know what his thoughts and feelings were about the heroine. BUT! it truly wasn't necessary, for I still felt his love for her due to the authors depicting his actions and expressions so well.
In fact now that I think about it, it is BETTER that the hero's thought's were omitted. If the author had shown us his mind, this book would be far too dark and depressing. I mean think about it. We may have lost his perspective regarding his feelings for the h, but we also lost all the details of his abuse, rape and torture, all of which the author would have to go into if she decided to show his POV. I think the author's decision to omit his thoughts were the right choice.
I am leery of this author's books, because I read one that set off some major triggers for me in the past. I was not going to read anything more by her, but I think I may dare to try again (with extensive research beforehand).
Thank you Erika for the recommendation!
Content concerns:
I really liked this one and the only thing I found which was not worth lowering a star for was a few editing issues, and those were pretty minor.
I loved the hero who was oh so tormented his whole life. A side show freak, tattooed over his entire body, held as basically a prisoner by carnival owner Reed and sexually abused by him as well (not detailed). Hero Tom escapes the carnival and finds widowed heroine who falls in love with him and helps him to slowly gain acceptance into the community.
I really felt the love between them as well as all their trials they had to endure with the townspeople.
This is a heavier, darker read because it touches on prejudice and being different. It is relatively painful at times, but not unbearable. There are periods of relief and a HEA. No worries!
Lots of conflict and action which kept the pace steady and left me hanging on the edge of my seat.
The characters were complex and well developed, and the antagonist was relatively believable, although could have used a bit more development.
At first, I regretted not having the hero's point of view. I wanted to know what his thoughts and feelings were about the heroine. BUT! it truly wasn't necessary, for I still felt his love for her due to the authors depicting his actions and expressions so well.
In fact now that I think about it, it is BETTER that the hero's thought's were omitted. If the author had shown us his mind, this book would be far too dark and depressing. I mean think about it. We may have lost his perspective regarding his feelings for the h, but we also lost all the details of his abuse, rape and torture, all of which the author would have to go into if she decided to show his POV. I think the author's decision to omit his thoughts were the right choice.
I am leery of this author's books, because I read one that set off some major triggers for me in the past. I was not going to read anything more by her, but I think I may dare to try again (with extensive research beforehand).
Thank you Erika for the recommendation!
Content concerns:
August 30, 2016
IT WAS SO GOOD!
I was in such a book slump...everything I read was uninteresting and dull. JaHy saved me with this recommendation...it was different in that it's a historical set right after World War II. Rarely do I read twentieth century historicals, so this was a treat.
What I took from this book, besides the beautiful love story, is how little compassion people sometimes have for one another, but especially when we get that "mob" mentality. If everyone says something, thinks something, does something, it must be okay, right? And that couldn't be further from the truth.
Standing up for what you believe in, whether it's an ideal, a cause, or a person, is always the right thing to do. We are so caught up with acceptance and popularity that we often leave our values in the past. I've done it, especially when I was younger. I think, I hope, that now that I'm a little older, that my core beliefs are strong enough to withstand peer pressure just as Sarah did. She is a remarkably admirable character. Where others saw a freak, she saw a human being. Where others saw someone to fear, she saw someone to love. Where many others found only contempt, she found compassion.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
"If his story was true, he'd probably not been touched by gentle hands since he was very young. Her heart ached at the thought of so many years of loneliness and isolation."
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
One of my favorite parts is when Sarah gives Tom a massage that turns into so much more....not sexually, but healing. It was a very powerful moment, exhibiting the importance of not only human touch, but contact and connection in sensual, spiritual ways as well. The awe that Tom has for Sarah is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
"I will not let you go, she repeated to herself. I'm finally starting to come alive. There's no way I can go back to being half dead again."
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
One gripe I have with the book...and it's really a cumulative gripe with all books that deal with bigotry and judgment...is how the Christians are portrayed yet again as hateful, narrow-minded fools. We're not all that way, folks. Just saying...it'd be nice to get a pastor/preacher who actually practices what he preaches once in awhile. Although I think back in this time period, acceptance was even harder to come by. Another issue I had was how quick the time frame was, but it's easily understandable considering the circumstances. It's just a pet peeve of mine.
Above all, this is a love story between two unlikely characters: a WWII widow and the tattoed freak from a traveling carnival. The chemistry between the two is evident from the start, and this author did a fantastic job of moving the story along quickly without getting bogged down with unnecessary drama and details. And yet it didn't feel as if it lacked anything; rather, I was invested fully during the entire story. It was actually very refreshing to read a story that feels as if it was written from the heart rather than written with an audience in mind.
A few more selling points: Tom is a wonderful beta male, something I don't often read. The sex is surprisingly hot but also wonderfully sensual, and this is a stand alone, which seems to be a rarity lately.
Big thanks to JaHy for the rec :D
October 27, 2012
4.5 stars
What a lovely, sweet, touching story <3
You know that wonderful feeling you get when you just sink into a well-written read? Well, I totally got that with this book. The writing style is strong, fluid and evocative and draws you right into the story.
I have to say I was hesitant to start this one because, just personally, I hate carnivals and I wasn't sure if this was a carnival-centric story... so, just to set the record straight: it isn't. Not at all. *nods* Right, ok, on to the review.
The year is 1946 (but don't worry, this book does not have the feel of a historical novel) and ever since the death of her husband in the war, Sarah is just trying to keep going. Her heart froze the day her husband's body was shipped home and she isn't looking for anyone to replace him. But, in an effort to cheer her, her friend drags her to a carnival which is passing through town and she finds herself drawn to and riveted by a tattooed man with intense blue eyes on display in one of the tents. Their eyes meet only for a moment, but in that moment, they share a connection - its as though he sees right into her.
She goes down the next morning to find the tattooed man sleeping in her hayloft. "His eyes were the saddest she'd ever seen." and she offers him to stay on and help her on the farm in exchange for room and board.
But the man who runs the circus is out looking for him and and the lies and rumors spread around town warping him into some sort of dangerous, lunatic freak. And while Sarah can accept him into her life, the real question is whether the townsfolk will be so open-minded?
I really loved Tom's character. I found myself instantly wanting to know more about him. He wasn't your typical Alpha male character but rather a deeply tortured, damaged man with a heart of gold and filled with a quiet intensity that draws Sarah to him like a magnet. His back story isn't gone into in detail but what little we see is filled with pain, loneliness and abuse at the hands of the carnival owner. Every inch of his body is tattooed. EVERY. INCH. And, hot as that may sound now, remember, it was all done to him against his will.
"Skin is skin, Grace. The tattoos are only on the surface you know. He's a man."
A sexy, vulnerable, intense, attractive, sweet, gentle and loving man.
I loved how Sarah trusted her gut feeling about Tom from the beginning. Even though technically she knew nothing about him, she treated him with the utmost respect and kindness - probably the first real kindness he'd ever known. And in return she was rewarded as he slowly learned to trust her, open up to her, and show her his true self - the one hidden away from the world behind a canvas of art forced on his body.
He whispered against her hair, "I don't belong here and they know it."
"Yes you do. You do belong here." She took his face in her hands and looked in his eyes. "You belong with me."
"I don't know why," she admitted. "Its just you. I want to be with you. I feel like we belong together." She smoothed one hand up his torso and rested it on his chest, picturing the chained heart and feeling his real heart beating steadily beneath it. "Don't you?"
The bedroom scenes were hottttt. And I mean that in a quietly powerful, erotic way. Not kinky but very, very passionate. I was surprised by that though because, for whatever reason, I really thought this book would gloss over that but boy was I wrong! I found that it really brought a beautiful blend between erotic and sweet between them and yet a more serious story line outside of their relationship.
There is a slight 'non-real'-ish element to the story. Tom gets visions of some things before they happen. He is the son of the carnival fortune teller and in this story, these are just accepted as part of him. This is not a paranormal story, nor is that the focus of the story, but I figured I'd mention it in case you guys read it, came across it and went 'huh?'. Just roll with it. Its a part of him :)
I'd say my only complaint overall was that I wished it were longer. It only took me a few hours to read and there were a few places in the middle of the book where I felt it was just a smidge rushed. It wasn't that it didn't fit with the storyline, I just would have wished for an extra chapter here or there. But the plus side to that was that the story never dragged, not even for a moment... I did find the ending a little abrupt and definitely found myself wanting either a few more chapters or an epilogue of sorts, but don't let that deter you. It was oh-so-happy, sweet and swoony and the HEA is never in question, I just would have wanted more is all.
Overall, I'd say it was exactly the kind of read I needed right now. Sweet, hot, and different with a beautiful message about love having no limitations.
Definitely recommended to add to your TBRs :)
CASTING:
I have to say that the guy on the cover is the perfect Tom. And really, given the extent of his tattoos, I'm not sure I could find someone else to accurately portray him. I just love it when covers actually accurately reflect the characters from the story and clearly whoever did this one did a phenomenal job because when you read the story, you'll learn that those are his exact tattoos.
For more of my reviews, visit Aestas Book Blog
And come join the Aestas Book Blog Facebook Page
What a lovely, sweet, touching story <3
You know that wonderful feeling you get when you just sink into a well-written read? Well, I totally got that with this book. The writing style is strong, fluid and evocative and draws you right into the story.
I have to say I was hesitant to start this one because, just personally, I hate carnivals and I wasn't sure if this was a carnival-centric story... so, just to set the record straight: it isn't. Not at all. *nods* Right, ok, on to the review.
The year is 1946 (but don't worry, this book does not have the feel of a historical novel) and ever since the death of her husband in the war, Sarah is just trying to keep going. Her heart froze the day her husband's body was shipped home and she isn't looking for anyone to replace him. But, in an effort to cheer her, her friend drags her to a carnival which is passing through town and she finds herself drawn to and riveted by a tattooed man with intense blue eyes on display in one of the tents. Their eyes meet only for a moment, but in that moment, they share a connection - its as though he sees right into her.
She goes down the next morning to find the tattooed man sleeping in her hayloft. "His eyes were the saddest she'd ever seen." and she offers him to stay on and help her on the farm in exchange for room and board.
But the man who runs the circus is out looking for him and and the lies and rumors spread around town warping him into some sort of dangerous, lunatic freak. And while Sarah can accept him into her life, the real question is whether the townsfolk will be so open-minded?
I really loved Tom's character. I found myself instantly wanting to know more about him. He wasn't your typical Alpha male character but rather a deeply tortured, damaged man with a heart of gold and filled with a quiet intensity that draws Sarah to him like a magnet. His back story isn't gone into in detail but what little we see is filled with pain, loneliness and abuse at the hands of the carnival owner. Every inch of his body is tattooed. EVERY. INCH. And, hot as that may sound now, remember, it was all done to him against his will.
"Skin is skin, Grace. The tattoos are only on the surface you know. He's a man."
A sexy, vulnerable, intense, attractive, sweet, gentle and loving man.
I loved how Sarah trusted her gut feeling about Tom from the beginning. Even though technically she knew nothing about him, she treated him with the utmost respect and kindness - probably the first real kindness he'd ever known. And in return she was rewarded as he slowly learned to trust her, open up to her, and show her his true self - the one hidden away from the world behind a canvas of art forced on his body.
He whispered against her hair, "I don't belong here and they know it."
"Yes you do. You do belong here." She took his face in her hands and looked in his eyes. "You belong with me."
"I don't know why," she admitted. "Its just you. I want to be with you. I feel like we belong together." She smoothed one hand up his torso and rested it on his chest, picturing the chained heart and feeling his real heart beating steadily beneath it. "Don't you?"
The bedroom scenes were hottttt. And I mean that in a quietly powerful, erotic way. Not kinky but very, very passionate. I was surprised by that though because, for whatever reason, I really thought this book would gloss over that but boy was I wrong! I found that it really brought a beautiful blend between erotic and sweet between them and yet a more serious story line outside of their relationship.
There is a slight 'non-real'-ish element to the story. Tom gets visions of some things before they happen. He is the son of the carnival fortune teller and in this story, these are just accepted as part of him. This is not a paranormal story, nor is that the focus of the story, but I figured I'd mention it in case you guys read it, came across it and went 'huh?'. Just roll with it. Its a part of him :)
I'd say my only complaint overall was that I wished it were longer. It only took me a few hours to read and there were a few places in the middle of the book where I felt it was just a smidge rushed. It wasn't that it didn't fit with the storyline, I just would have wished for an extra chapter here or there. But the plus side to that was that the story never dragged, not even for a moment... I did find the ending a little abrupt and definitely found myself wanting either a few more chapters or an epilogue of sorts, but don't let that deter you. It was oh-so-happy, sweet and swoony and the HEA is never in question, I just would have wanted more is all.
Overall, I'd say it was exactly the kind of read I needed right now. Sweet, hot, and different with a beautiful message about love having no limitations.
Definitely recommended to add to your TBRs :)
CASTING:
I have to say that the guy on the cover is the perfect Tom. And really, given the extent of his tattoos, I'm not sure I could find someone else to accurately portray him. I just love it when covers actually accurately reflect the characters from the story and clearly whoever did this one did a phenomenal job because when you read the story, you'll learn that those are his exact tattoos.
For more of my reviews, visit Aestas Book Blog
And come join the Aestas Book Blog Facebook Page
January 28, 2015
I liked this much more than the last book that I read by Bonnie Dee, Finding Home, though there were some striking similarities. Both books have male MCs that are the "damsel in distress," if you will, and need rescuing from the female MC. Both men were abused and broken, emotionally and psychologically. However, in this book, the power discrepancy didn't feel as large between the MCs, and I found myself able to enjoy the story much more. And it was a beautiful, romance-against-all-odds kind of story.
It is hard to make a historical feel authentic for me, especially a M/F historical, but somehow the author really made it work. I think the blurb does this book a great disservice because it gives a lot of the story away that I enjoyed discovering for myself. The time period and the fact that Tom is tattooed from head to toe really gave this book a feeling of... How is this going to work? Please let them make it work! I was rooting for Sarah and Tom so hard.
I often have issues with female MCs but Sarah was a lovely one. Strong willed, sexually confident, and unafraid of adversity. Tom broke my heart. He'll break your heart too.
All in all, a very nice surprise and a fast read that I devoured in a few hours.
It is hard to make a historical feel authentic for me, especially a M/F historical, but somehow the author really made it work. I think the blurb does this book a great disservice because it gives a lot of the story away that I enjoyed discovering for myself. The time period and the fact that Tom is tattooed from head to toe really gave this book a feeling of... How is this going to work? Please let them make it work! I was rooting for Sarah and Tom so hard.
I often have issues with female MCs but Sarah was a lovely one. Strong willed, sexually confident, and unafraid of adversity. Tom broke my heart. He'll break your heart too.
All in all, a very nice surprise and a fast read that I devoured in a few hours.
January 27, 2012
I chose to read this book largely because of the beautiful cover, and then because the plot is so original and intriguing.
This was a nice story, but I felt it could have been much more. This is the first book by this author that I've read, so I cannot say for certain whether this is a typical example of her writing style, but (to me, at least) it was lacking. It 'told' far more than it 'showed.' We never got inside the characters' heads, and instead we were just told how they were feeling. This story was told more from an omniscient voice, and yet we were only ever told the heroine's thoughts and feelings. There were a lot of insignificant details that were described in painful detail, while other things that should have been fully described were left completely to the imagination.
The heroine was a WWII widow, whose only previous lover had been her husband. The book says that she was very sexually inexperienced, and she is often described as being very modest, as one would expect a 1940's midwestern farmer's wife to be, and yet her behavior in bed with the hero suggested nothing of the sort. So it didn't seem quite realistic to me.
I never got a good sense of time and place. We are told it takes place in 1946, but the location was never really established. I never felt truly immersed. The characters seemed so rich, but I never felt like I got to know them because we could never get inside their heads. Sure, we were told how they felt, or how they looked, or what they thought, but the narrations always seemed very separated from the characters themselves... if that makes sense?
Anyway, it was enjoyable enough because of the uniqueness of the story. I just felt like it could have been much more.
This was a nice story, but I felt it could have been much more. This is the first book by this author that I've read, so I cannot say for certain whether this is a typical example of her writing style, but (to me, at least) it was lacking. It 'told' far more than it 'showed.' We never got inside the characters' heads, and instead we were just told how they were feeling. This story was told more from an omniscient voice, and yet we were only ever told the heroine's thoughts and feelings. There were a lot of insignificant details that were described in painful detail, while other things that should have been fully described were left completely to the imagination.
The heroine was a WWII widow, whose only previous lover had been her husband. The book says that she was very sexually inexperienced, and she is often described as being very modest, as one would expect a 1940's midwestern farmer's wife to be, and yet her behavior in bed with the hero suggested nothing of the sort. So it didn't seem quite realistic to me.
I never got a good sense of time and place. We are told it takes place in 1946, but the location was never really established. I never felt truly immersed. The characters seemed so rich, but I never felt like I got to know them because we could never get inside their heads. Sure, we were told how they felt, or how they looked, or what they thought, but the narrations always seemed very separated from the characters themselves... if that makes sense?
Anyway, it was enjoyable enough because of the uniqueness of the story. I just felt like it could have been much more.
December 27, 2011
I picked this book up because I love tattoos on men and was intrigued by the cover. Also, the only other book I have read by Bonnie Dee was Finding Home, which I loved, so I decided to give this one a go. What a wonderful love story! In the same vein as Finding Home where an average, everyday woman befriends a societal misfit, Ms. Dee once again takes us outside the box of what most of us perceive to be normal in romance.
The year is 1945 and Sarah, a young war widow, has been coerced by a group of friends to go to the circus. In the "freak show" tent, Sarah is mesmerized by the beautiful man who is covered from head to toe in brilliant, exotic tattoos. In the morning, she discovers said male hiding in her barn.
So begins this incredible journey of two people defying the overwhelming odds against them for the sake of love. Tom's story is horrific. His mother was the fortune teller with a gaudy traveling circus. When she died, Tom, age 8, was taken under the wing of the sadistic circus owner who used Tom as his personal, human canvas. For the simple creature comforts of food to eat and a place to sleep, Tom endured years of pain under the needle as well as the humiliation of being "rented out" to the gawkers that were willing to pay a little extra to get nasty with a circus "freak". When Tom saw Sarah for the first time, he recognized her as the woman who had been haunting his dreams for years. So, having known no other life but the circus yet unable to resist the urge he felt to be with her, Tom made his escape. Sarah, plagued by dreams of the tattooed man after seeing him, was shocked but not afraid of Tom when she found him.
One woman working a nice-sized farm alone was at times overwhelming. With this rationalization in mind, Sarah put Tom to work in the fields in return for 3 square meals and use of the guest room. Tom was quiet and polite - although his manners were atrocious - and he was illiterate as well. He had no idea how old he was or the date of his birthday, and Sarah's heart (and mine) went out to him. She taught him to read and write, manners and customs; and, as the days went by, she couldn't ignore the sexual awakening overtaking a mind and body she had thought long dead and buried with her young husband. Before long, Sarah seduces Tom (in a sweet way) and they become lovers.
The idyllic life cocooned away from reality is shortlived, however, when a local girl goes missing and the small-town folks are fearful that the "retarded escapee from the circus" is the one responsible. Tom is responsible in the sense that he can "feel" the girl's pain and can envision her surroundings (a gift handed down by his mother?). Sarah, being the decent & morally- conscious person that she is, takes Tom to see the sheriff & relay the story. For once we have a sheriff that is a good guy. Hurray! He accepts Tom's story as truth and they are off to find the girl. Afterwards, Tom is socially accepted by the majority, but the few that insist he is a freak as well as the deranged circus owner, cause enough problems to run Tom off. Sarah, plagued with the terrible thought of losing another man she loves, ignores everyone's advice to leave well enough alone and sets out to bring her man home.
One of the things I love about Bonnie Dee is the fact she is not in the least bit shy about being sexually descriptive. For some odd reason, I wouldn't connote the word "pussy" with the freshly- scrubbed Norman Rockwell faces I envision when thinking of 1945, but it's in this story, it works and what do I know about connotations? haha In other words (if that wasn't plain enough), she keeps the bedroom door wide open for the wannabe voyeurs like me...elevating a 4.5 star story to a solid 5 stars. Ms. Dee also makes good use of metaphors...giving her readers clear and defined mental images to enhance the story.
Bone Deep is a fast-paced read that packs a walloping moral punch that, once again, exposes the debase side of human nature that refuses to comprehend the law of God in that all things are created equal. Fortunately, Sarah wasn't part of the majority...
"Her gaze lingered on the meticulous artwork of each design that covered his skin like a painstakingly stitched quilt. Once again she admitted that despite his evil, Arthur Reed was a talented artist. Tom’s canvas of skin was intricately filled with dynamic color and motion. When she first saw Tom, Sarah thought there was no pattern or reason behind the designs but the more she looked at them, the more she felt there was something significant right beyond the edge of her grasp. Whatever the meaning, her lover’s painted skin was beautiful. He was beautiful--both inside and out."
Highly recommended to romance readers looking for something different!
5 solid stars.
The year is 1945 and Sarah, a young war widow, has been coerced by a group of friends to go to the circus. In the "freak show" tent, Sarah is mesmerized by the beautiful man who is covered from head to toe in brilliant, exotic tattoos. In the morning, she discovers said male hiding in her barn.
So begins this incredible journey of two people defying the overwhelming odds against them for the sake of love. Tom's story is horrific. His mother was the fortune teller with a gaudy traveling circus. When she died, Tom, age 8, was taken under the wing of the sadistic circus owner who used Tom as his personal, human canvas. For the simple creature comforts of food to eat and a place to sleep, Tom endured years of pain under the needle as well as the humiliation of being "rented out" to the gawkers that were willing to pay a little extra to get nasty with a circus "freak". When Tom saw Sarah for the first time, he recognized her as the woman who had been haunting his dreams for years. So, having known no other life but the circus yet unable to resist the urge he felt to be with her, Tom made his escape. Sarah, plagued by dreams of the tattooed man after seeing him, was shocked but not afraid of Tom when she found him.
One woman working a nice-sized farm alone was at times overwhelming. With this rationalization in mind, Sarah put Tom to work in the fields in return for 3 square meals and use of the guest room. Tom was quiet and polite - although his manners were atrocious - and he was illiterate as well. He had no idea how old he was or the date of his birthday, and Sarah's heart (and mine) went out to him. She taught him to read and write, manners and customs; and, as the days went by, she couldn't ignore the sexual awakening overtaking a mind and body she had thought long dead and buried with her young husband. Before long, Sarah seduces Tom (in a sweet way) and they become lovers.
The idyllic life cocooned away from reality is shortlived, however, when a local girl goes missing and the small-town folks are fearful that the "retarded escapee from the circus" is the one responsible. Tom is responsible in the sense that he can "feel" the girl's pain and can envision her surroundings (a gift handed down by his mother?). Sarah, being the decent & morally- conscious person that she is, takes Tom to see the sheriff & relay the story. For once we have a sheriff that is a good guy. Hurray! He accepts Tom's story as truth and they are off to find the girl. Afterwards, Tom is socially accepted by the majority, but the few that insist he is a freak as well as the deranged circus owner, cause enough problems to run Tom off. Sarah, plagued with the terrible thought of losing another man she loves, ignores everyone's advice to leave well enough alone and sets out to bring her man home.
One of the things I love about Bonnie Dee is the fact she is not in the least bit shy about being sexually descriptive. For some odd reason, I wouldn't connote the word "pussy" with the freshly- scrubbed Norman Rockwell faces I envision when thinking of 1945, but it's in this story, it works and what do I know about connotations? haha In other words (if that wasn't plain enough), she keeps the bedroom door wide open for the wannabe voyeurs like me...elevating a 4.5 star story to a solid 5 stars. Ms. Dee also makes good use of metaphors...giving her readers clear and defined mental images to enhance the story.
Bone Deep is a fast-paced read that packs a walloping moral punch that, once again, exposes the debase side of human nature that refuses to comprehend the law of God in that all things are created equal. Fortunately, Sarah wasn't part of the majority...
"Her gaze lingered on the meticulous artwork of each design that covered his skin like a painstakingly stitched quilt. Once again she admitted that despite his evil, Arthur Reed was a talented artist. Tom’s canvas of skin was intricately filled with dynamic color and motion. When she first saw Tom, Sarah thought there was no pattern or reason behind the designs but the more she looked at them, the more she felt there was something significant right beyond the edge of her grasp. Whatever the meaning, her lover’s painted skin was beautiful. He was beautiful--both inside and out."
Highly recommended to romance readers looking for something different!
5 solid stars.
November 25, 2012
It's disturbing to get this glimpse of human depravity,
and heartbreaking to see a manifestation of society's prejudiced cruelty.
But it warms the heart to know that eventually,
pains of the past get healed,
solace can be found in desperation,
and souls destined to be together find a way.
This is a beautifully written story of a tortured hero and a heroine living a life of quiet desperation.
They find each other by fate, overcome challenges and prejudice, and claim their happily ever after.
I loved it.
May 1, 2015
4 Stars - nice, tender and just lovely
A very touching story in the 1950s about a man who had been treated very badly and now finds a new opportunity with a beautiful war widow. It's quickly read and a lot of enjoy - for me at least.
I LIKE - tender, sweet and very romantic.
A very touching story in the 1950s about a man who had been treated very badly and now finds a new opportunity with a beautiful war widow. It's quickly read and a lot of enjoy - for me at least.
I LIKE - tender, sweet and very romantic.
August 26, 2016
Bonnie Dee tends to write from third person POV that make it difficult for me to connect with her characters. But due to the uniqueness of this story with a hero who was a tattoo man from a freak show, I make a vow to give this book a try.
The writing style make you feel like you are reading a romance from the 80s. There wasn't any mentioned of the time period when the story took place and the cultural references were pretty vague. I only noticed the blurb mentioned 1946 after I finished the book.
Sarah was a young widow tending to her farm in a small town. She went to the circus carnival with her friends and met this tattoo man who was in the freak show. She felt enraptured by his steady gaze and intrigued by his fascinating body art.
The night itself after she went home, she discovered the tattoo man hiding in her barn and was shocked. However, she can't bring herself to deny him a hiding place for he was obviously running away from the circus. Sarah provided him a place to stay and in return he helped her out at the farm.
"I saw you - just like in my dream."
Tom was a quiet and close off man who didn't know any social etiquette. He had been living with the circus ever since he could remember. After his mum who was a fortune teller passed away, he had been under the control of the circus owner, Art Reed. Tom was obviously mistreated as a child and from some of his conversation with Sarah, we got a pretty nasty picture who what happened to him. The way he talked about a picture perfect family just broke my heart.
"- They have a lot of friends and no one looks at them because they look just like everybody else."
First off, the pacing of the story was a slow one. There were details in Sarah performing menial chores, about her life in the farm. But it didn't drag the story too much, the flow was slow, but smooth enough to keep me engaged with trying to see what comes next. The plot regarding Tom's psychic ability was intriguing and I love seeing how Sarah and Tom got closer together.
I was pleasantly surprised that we got some pretty erotic scene. Tom didn't act as virginal as I expected. Sarah was not a prude either. When they both gave in to their passion, it was erotic and sensual. The sex scenes were very different from the current mainstream romance that I had been reading.
We just knew that Sarah can't hide Tom for long and soon people will notice Tom's presence in town. They faced a lot of prejudice and nastiness people around town. On the other hand, there were some pleasant folks around who wanted to help them. Sarah was simply remarkable and strong in her way of trying to reassure Tom and wanted him to be accepted.
"I'm glad you come to me and I'm not afraid of facing these people. We just have to be strong and fight our way through this."
Bone Deep reminds me very much of Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O'Connell. The time period, the setting and the issue the couple face were quite similar. Nosy townsfolk who just couldn't miss their own business and gave such a hard time to a couple who just wanted to be together.
Tom had such a sad life and I'm so happy that he finally found something he wants in Sarah. Although we have our HEA, I can't help but felt he so deserve an epilogue of his own. I wanted to see Tom ten years later, living his picture perfect life that he had been dreaming about for so long.
"I don't belong here."
"Yes, you do. You belong with me."
The writing style make you feel like you are reading a romance from the 80s. There wasn't any mentioned of the time period when the story took place and the cultural references were pretty vague. I only noticed the blurb mentioned 1946 after I finished the book.
Sarah was a young widow tending to her farm in a small town. She went to the circus carnival with her friends and met this tattoo man who was in the freak show. She felt enraptured by his steady gaze and intrigued by his fascinating body art.
The night itself after she went home, she discovered the tattoo man hiding in her barn and was shocked. However, she can't bring herself to deny him a hiding place for he was obviously running away from the circus. Sarah provided him a place to stay and in return he helped her out at the farm.
"I saw you - just like in my dream."
Tom was a quiet and close off man who didn't know any social etiquette. He had been living with the circus ever since he could remember. After his mum who was a fortune teller passed away, he had been under the control of the circus owner, Art Reed. Tom was obviously mistreated as a child and from some of his conversation with Sarah, we got a pretty nasty picture who what happened to him. The way he talked about a picture perfect family just broke my heart.
"- They have a lot of friends and no one looks at them because they look just like everybody else."
First off, the pacing of the story was a slow one. There were details in Sarah performing menial chores, about her life in the farm. But it didn't drag the story too much, the flow was slow, but smooth enough to keep me engaged with trying to see what comes next. The plot regarding Tom's psychic ability was intriguing and I love seeing how Sarah and Tom got closer together.
I was pleasantly surprised that we got some pretty erotic scene. Tom didn't act as virginal as I expected. Sarah was not a prude either. When they both gave in to their passion, it was erotic and sensual. The sex scenes were very different from the current mainstream romance that I had been reading.
We just knew that Sarah can't hide Tom for long and soon people will notice Tom's presence in town. They faced a lot of prejudice and nastiness people around town. On the other hand, there were some pleasant folks around who wanted to help them. Sarah was simply remarkable and strong in her way of trying to reassure Tom and wanted him to be accepted.
"I'm glad you come to me and I'm not afraid of facing these people. We just have to be strong and fight our way through this."
Bone Deep reminds me very much of Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O'Connell. The time period, the setting and the issue the couple face were quite similar. Nosy townsfolk who just couldn't miss their own business and gave such a hard time to a couple who just wanted to be together.
Tom had such a sad life and I'm so happy that he finally found something he wants in Sarah. Although we have our HEA, I can't help but felt he so deserve an epilogue of his own. I wanted to see Tom ten years later, living his picture perfect life that he had been dreaming about for so long.
"I don't belong here."
"Yes, you do. You belong with me."
Read
September 1, 2018I am ruminating on my rating. Full review to come later. For now, here is why I am torn.
Sarah, the city girl turned war widow turned farmer, was a fantastically strong heroine. She evolved from someone passive in the face of society's prejudices to someone actively fighting them. She was determined not just to survive but to live again, and she was unafraid to display vulnerability.
Dee plays with gender roles as traditionally presented in historical romance. Initially Sarah is the rescuer, the caretaker, the provider. Sarah is more forceful where Tom, the tattooed man at the carnival with knowing eyes and a tortured past, is more meek. Tom saves Sarah as much as Sarah saves him, but in a different way. Their dynamic was one of my favorite aspects of the story.
The story itself was unique and beautifully affecting.
However, there was an especially upsetting and, IMO, unnecessary scene near the end that legitimately hindered my enjoyment. I was also occasionally pulled out of the story by a particularly modern expression or thought, and there were some distracting errors.
I realize that I wrote "full review to come" and this is fairly close to a full review so I'll stop and return when I am equipped to actually, you know, review and not just word vomit.
Read for SBTB July - September 2018 Quarterly Challenge: A book with a farmer or gardener character.
Sarah, the city girl turned war widow turned farmer, was a fantastically strong heroine. She evolved from someone passive in the face of society's prejudices to someone actively fighting them. She was determined not just to survive but to live again, and she was unafraid to display vulnerability.
Dee plays with gender roles as traditionally presented in historical romance. Initially Sarah is the rescuer, the caretaker, the provider. Sarah is more forceful where Tom, the tattooed man at the carnival with knowing eyes and a tortured past, is more meek. Tom saves Sarah as much as Sarah saves him, but in a different way. Their dynamic was one of my favorite aspects of the story.
The story itself was unique and beautifully affecting.
However, there was an especially upsetting and, IMO, unnecessary scene near the end that legitimately hindered my enjoyment. I was also occasionally pulled out of the story by a particularly modern expression or thought, and there were some distracting errors.
I realize that I wrote "full review to come" and this is fairly close to a full review so I'll stop and return when I am equipped to actually, you know, review and not just word vomit.
Read for SBTB July - September 2018 Quarterly Challenge: A book with a farmer or gardener character.
June 24, 2012
I love love LOVED this story. It was so beautiful and poignant and the message of how LOVE comes in different guises and goes beyond skin deep was received loud and clear!! It's a gorgeous yet heartbreaking story of how two lonely people, each for their own reasons, find each other and attempt to overcome all obstacles and prejudices to stay together and let their LOVE conquer all!!
Sarah is a lonely widow whose husband was killed during WWII. Her friends take her with them to a traveling carnival and whilst there she becomes entranced by the tattooed man in the 'freak tent'. Sarah is in awe of the beauty of this man whilst others look upon him in disgust and scorn.
The following day Sarah discovers him in her barn. Tom has escaped and is on the run from the carnival and its horrible and vile owner who has kept Tom imprisoned his entire life. Sarah agrees to let him stay with her and this is where their beautiful yet harrowing journey begins....
This book is such a gem, it took a piece of my heart, especially Tom!!!
Sarah is a lonely widow whose husband was killed during WWII. Her friends take her with them to a traveling carnival and whilst there she becomes entranced by the tattooed man in the 'freak tent'. Sarah is in awe of the beauty of this man whilst others look upon him in disgust and scorn.
The following day Sarah discovers him in her barn. Tom has escaped and is on the run from the carnival and its horrible and vile owner who has kept Tom imprisoned his entire life. Sarah agrees to let him stay with her and this is where their beautiful yet harrowing journey begins....
This book is such a gem, it took a piece of my heart, especially Tom!!!
November 27, 2012
Five glorious heart warming stars.
I started this book in the early evening and didn't stop until I had finished. This is a truly beautiful love story that should be read by all romance readers. I don't normally go for books set in the past, but this book was nothing less then spectacular. I could rave on and on about how brilliant it was, but you shouldn't be wasting your time reading reviews for this book, you should be reading it for yourself.
Bonnie Dee took a very ordinary woman, a most unusual man, and came up with a story that touched my heart, and has left me thinking about these characters, even though I am now halfway through the next book on my list.
I will be reading this one again, probably many times. Bonnie Dee, I salute you and your amazing talent. My only problem was that it was much too short. But it could never be long enough for me.
I started this book in the early evening and didn't stop until I had finished. This is a truly beautiful love story that should be read by all romance readers. I don't normally go for books set in the past, but this book was nothing less then spectacular. I could rave on and on about how brilliant it was, but you shouldn't be wasting your time reading reviews for this book, you should be reading it for yourself.
Bonnie Dee took a very ordinary woman, a most unusual man, and came up with a story that touched my heart, and has left me thinking about these characters, even though I am now halfway through the next book on my list.
I will be reading this one again, probably many times. Bonnie Dee, I salute you and your amazing talent. My only problem was that it was much too short. But it could never be long enough for me.
August 3, 2018
Adorable!! Simply adorable. I could not put this book down.
January 19, 2011
After losing her husband at the end of WWII, Sarah is stil not ready to see other men although her friends are trying their best to see her settled again. But her quiet world is suddenly interrupted when a circus sideshow performer chooses her farm to hide out in when he decides to run away from the only home he's ever known. Something about the gentle, freakishly tattooed man fascinates Sarah and when a man comes looking for him, she instinctively decides to hide him rather than turn him over.
Tom has only known the circus world. Kept a virtual prisoner, when he got the chance to run- he did so. Fortunately he found himself in the aid of a kind woman- one who's haunted his dreams for long before he ever met her. Helpless against the attraction toward something he can never have, he sticks around as handyman for the lonely Sarah. Though cautious, Sarah admittedly likes having someone to help her on the farm, and finds herself just as helpless- trapped in an unwanted attraction toward the nearly silent stranger.
But when nosey neighbors start butting in all around, Tom realizes he's doing more harm then good and decides to leave without telling Sarah. Sarah must now decide if the feelings brewing deep inside are more than a sexual pull that can easily be dismissed or a very real love that cannot be denied.
The hero's quiet distinctiveness- as well as post WWII setting- makes this sensual romantic story unique. Loved the setting! We don't get many historical romance novels set past the turn of the 20th century in romanclandia and frankly I would love to see more of it. (Enough regency England already!) Definitely coulda been longer because I would have loved getting to know Tom better.
4 out of 5 from me! (For the record, this is not a tepid romance, more erotic but not overly so. (ie nothing kinky ;))
Tom has only known the circus world. Kept a virtual prisoner, when he got the chance to run- he did so. Fortunately he found himself in the aid of a kind woman- one who's haunted his dreams for long before he ever met her. Helpless against the attraction toward something he can never have, he sticks around as handyman for the lonely Sarah. Though cautious, Sarah admittedly likes having someone to help her on the farm, and finds herself just as helpless- trapped in an unwanted attraction toward the nearly silent stranger.
But when nosey neighbors start butting in all around, Tom realizes he's doing more harm then good and decides to leave without telling Sarah. Sarah must now decide if the feelings brewing deep inside are more than a sexual pull that can easily be dismissed or a very real love that cannot be denied.
The hero's quiet distinctiveness- as well as post WWII setting- makes this sensual romantic story unique. Loved the setting! We don't get many historical romance novels set past the turn of the 20th century in romanclandia and frankly I would love to see more of it. (Enough regency England already!) Definitely coulda been longer because I would have loved getting to know Tom better.
4 out of 5 from me! (For the record, this is not a tepid romance, more erotic but not overly so. (ie nothing kinky ;))
October 27, 2019
Well, not entirely sure it was worth the $ I paid for it.
Like I said in the notes, the writing is very straightforward. No embellishment, no intensity. Just plain, "she said this, he did that."
I kept reading for the tortured hero, one of my very fave tropes. Tom deserves at least 4 stars, but not 5, bc he's just too beta. For heaven's sake! Esp. when he went BACK to the place of his torture voluntarily!
Sarah I only like for her determination to keep Tom. Her endless comparison of him vs. her dead husband was annoying.
I can't give this more than 3 stars.
Wish I can have my $ back.
Like I said in the notes, the writing is very straightforward. No embellishment, no intensity. Just plain, "she said this, he did that."
I kept reading for the tortured hero, one of my very fave tropes. Tom deserves at least 4 stars, but not 5, bc he's just too beta. For heaven's sake! Esp. when he went BACK to the place of his torture voluntarily!
Sarah I only like for her determination to keep Tom. Her endless comparison of him vs. her dead husband was annoying.
I can't give this more than 3 stars.
Wish I can have my $ back.
May 15, 2022
there are just so many things wrong with this book I don't even know where to start.
September 4, 2009
When widow Sarah was strong-armed into attending a local travelling circus, she goes with mixed feeling as although she is with friends she somehow feels as if she is forced into a situation that she is clearly not ready for. With this on her minds she makes the best of her night with good grace.
Not particularly impressed with the circus she makes the rounds with her friends and ends up visiting a tent which promises an array of weird and wonderful delights – one such is a beautiful tattooed man that Sarah somehow fells an instant connection to, whether it’s empathy for his plight or just plain curiosity this man ends up being the highlight of her night.
To say she was surprised to find the man in her barn the next morning would be an understatement – Sarah, not one for high drama makes the best of the situation and learns all she can about Tom.
Tom is unlike anyone she has ever met and that has nothing to do with the tattoos – but more for the fact that Tom comes with a handle with care sign and a most peculiar gift of being a psychic.
When a local child goes missing Sarah knows only Tom can help, but with an overwhelming sexual attraction between the two and a town with less than open-minded inhabitants, Sarah takes the biggest chance of her life and exposes Tom to the one thing he has been running away from – The Unknown.
A simply beautiful book.
Without a doubt this is so skilfully written that I can’t help but loving the protags, the plot, the support cast and the plight of Sarah and Tom. The book is set in a period when women were still thought of as needing a man to do the manly things as well as not able to do certain things because of societies demands and expectations.
Sarah broke all the rules when she not only takes in Tom but was willing to vouch for him and worst had the audacity of wanting more with him. I can’t describe how much I love the flow of this book – Ms. Dee hits on all the stereotypical situations and scenarios that could and did happen in this small town to make me want to slap them all before breakfast.
Tom was a treat to know – he comes with an unbelievable amount of baggage but he had the simply zest of a child and a heart of gold. With both of these characters fully developed Ms. Dee gave me a chance to see them grow in their own right and I was most pleased.
The support cast are small town nosy busy bodies with too much opinions to make me want to hate this town but support comes from the unlikeliest of places to make me fall in love with it despite all the harridans that lives there.
A stunning read and I am absolutely pleased I read this book.
October 27, 2017
Bone Deep has been on my Kindle for over 5 years forgotten until recently when a GR friend read it and loved it. I'm so thrilled that I gave it a chance because it was really a beautiful story. Sarah is a young widow still mourning her husband who died in the war. Although her friend insist on her moving on she still can't make that jump. That is until the circus comes to town and she walks into the side show and sees a young man covered from head to toe in tattoos. I loved Sarah, she was a lovely woman with so much love to give and I loved watching her give into her desires for Tom. She saw the beauty on the inside and loved him no matter what others thought of her. Tom was also a wonderful character. He has lived as a prisoner in the circus by the man who tattooed him. He barely is able to read and is a simply young man who dreams of having a normal life with a wife and child but knows he is to strange looking to fit in. Since the setting for this book is on a farm in a small town in the 40's you can imagine her choice of a new young man is not welcomed nor is her living in sin. So if your looking for a sweet read that at times makes your heart ache but leaves you with a warm feeling I totally recommend this one.
September 7, 2012
Got this book for free....recommended from a blogger I follow. It was a really good, sweet story. It takes place in the mid 1940s--and while this isn't my "time-period" preference, I actually really enjoyed the book. It was a quick, short read. I would definitely recommend.
September 25, 2015
5 Sweet Stars!!
This book was like a little piece of paradise.
Beautifully crafted characters, sweet sexy moments and my favourite thing, a happily ever after ending.
This book was like a little piece of paradise.
Beautifully crafted characters, sweet sexy moments and my favourite thing, a happily ever after ending.
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August 26, 2011
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...
I'd like to thank my GR friend Dinjolina for the recommendation. :)
Once again, another author changed my POV about erotica, or Romantica, whatever you like to call it. This was my first Bonnie Dee book and I’m won over, totally. The setting and the whole premise of the book was so good, with BD’s simple yet beautiful narratives, I had a wonderful, wonderful time. It reminded me quite a lot about Lorraine Heath’s books. My only regret- I wish I had known Tom a little better. He was such a quiet man all through the story. But, either way, Tom melted my heart like a puddle of... something... I really don’t know. He was so so sweet and intense at the same time. *sigh*
Sarah lost her husband in the WWII, just before it ended. It’s been a year and a half and she’s still mourning. She never really got to have him in her life because after a few months of marriage, John was taken away to join the war. Sarah’s life is just black and white. She came to this carnival only because her close friend Grace nagged her to attend with a little matchmaking in mind, which Sarah didn’t know about. She is annoyed, yes, I would be too. Sometimes people think they’re doing the ‘best’ thing for someone without the knowledge of the person in question, which is seriously annoying. Sarah loves to live all by herself, at least for now that’s what she wants. She likes to work on the farm, look after her livestocks, read books or listen to the radio. She’s still not ready to replace John. But, living in a small community of people is tough, when everyone knows about everybody else’s business, something proved to be a cross to bear for her in the later parts of the book. Grace introduces her to a man who works in a repairing shop in Fairfield, Andrew, who is a nice guy. Sarah tries to keep up a conversation and look around the carnival. She hates carnivals, not knowing this one carnival would change her life. Soon, they were walking towards the tent where the freaks are kept- dwarfs, three-legged calf, a bearded lady etc. Sarah kept on looking, feeling rather uncomfortable and she finds herself in front of this area where it seems no one was there. Suddenly, something moved in the back area, dark. A man came forward into the light, every inch of whose body is tattooed. Even his head is shaved and tattooed, so is his face. Sarah is mesmerized from the get go, totally absorbed in his skin and the art that surrounds it, which looks like a quilt very beautifully sewn together. This even distracts the eye from his near nudity. The man sits and even lets her see just how far beneath the clothing he’s been tattooed. I have to agree that this was some scene but I had a tough time imagining the man since I haven’t seen such a heavily tattooed man in real life. It didn’t really matter overall but I wish I had seen Tom with my own eyes; no, not to gape and gawk, just to see him that’s all. When Sarah was moving on, as her friends already did, the man who was it seems was absorbed into his own world, suddenly looks at her; straight and clear with his vivid blue eyes. Sarah felt an immediate shock going all over her body. It seemed like he’s seeing her naked and knows her intimately. She is shaken but soon leaves.
Back in the farm, Sarah is restless. The nights are always lonely for her but this night, she keeps dreaming of the tattooed man, hot, erotic ones. At dawn, she goes about her usual chores, to the barn to feed the animals. In the hayloft, she gets jarred by a figure inside the hay. It’s the tattooed man! She doesn’t know at first what to do. He has escaped it seems. Can he talk? Yah, he can but only in monosyllables. Sarah does something she never thought she’d, in right mind, do. There was something about this man she couldn’t deny. So she takes him in. She feeds him, gives him her husband’s clothes. Tom is very helpful too, he doesn’t talk much but he helps around the farm; feeding the old horse and the only cow, work around the garden, repairs fence. Sarah is happy to have a helping hand after such a long time, a soul to talk to but most especially, to have a man around.
It was a treat to see Sarah and Tom’s relationship growing. Though the book happened around little more than two weeks, I never, once felt that they jumped into bed so soon. It’s because the way they were, it felt like they’re soul mates; that they belong together. Their routine was great, in harmony all the times. Tom from the 1st moment, was so devoted to Sarah that I sighed. And Sarah was always taking care of him. At first, Tom didn’t talk much, didn’t laugh at all, just observed and listened. Many a time, it felt like she was communicating with a child. His views and words were very simple and straight forward. But, that’s only because the horrible way he was treated by the circus manager, an ugly childhood without a comforting hand around. Not at all when he lost his mother, a fortune-teller, at 8. It took him two days to finally smile when Sarah was reading him ‘Tom Sawyer’ after dinner, like the previous days. He begins interacting with her. I loved that his enthusiasm for learning was so great; something would just warm your heart. Sarah took it onto herself to give this man some happiness as she understood, from the very few information Tom gave her about his past, that he needed it. There was one particular scene, with a paper cutting, which Tom kept for a long time- a family vacationing. Sarah asked him about it, in answer he tells her a story he made for the family. But, it revealed so much of the man beneath, at least his hopes and dreams about having a family that brought tears in my eyes. And he outright said that he knows he can’t have it for himself. Ah, so sad. Sarah was very admirable in her treatment of Tom. She was very caring, wanted to know more about him. One day, while she was changing the oil in her car, Tom comes rushing and grabs her out from under it. Soon she realized he just save her as the car came crashing down, which would’ve crushed her too, had it not for Tom. With that, Sarah learns of Tom’s psychic powers. He sees glimpses of peoples’ lives; sometimes pictures, sometimes just a feeling.
As their relationship grew, other troubles brew. At first it was the circus manager who came to pay a call about the ‘retard who escaped’ from his circus. Sarah was thinking how the people around would see him, because most certainly one way or the other the community will learn of his existence. But, when she was around him, she couldn’t help but be happy. I understood her feelings, living alone for years; he was a breath of fresh air to her. And such a sweet man, with sweet, shy smiles and looks that tells her he wants her too. For the first few days, Sarah holds off this mutual desire. She’s already gone to the town where people are busily prattling away about the ‘tattooed freak’ from the circus and how dangerous he might be for the community and so on. Some unwarranted advises came forth for her from the busybodies of the community- like, get married soon. Andrew is still hoping for a date. Soon, Grace, her husband Mark and Andrew came to take her away for a night out. Sarah didn’t want to go first, certainly not leaving Tom home alone. But she understood she can’t sway her friend and they might know of Tom’s existence. When she comes back, Tom wasn’t asleep. As he sees her for the first time, in a party dress, his eyes widened. Sarah was glad to see that. They dance and kiss. Oh, Tom saw Andrew pressing good night kiss on Sarah’s cheek and... It was so nice because he was jealous! After the passionate kisses, they make love. Tom wanted the lights off and Sarah didn’t mind. It was so sweet, can’t tell you, how hesitant and then how ardent and reverent Tom was while touching Sarah. Afterwards, he tells Sarah this is what he saw about her in his vision, which is why he came to her.
Thus begin the new phase of their lives. Oh yes, the very next day, in the morning light Sarah gets to see Tom in his naked glory and the beautiful artworks all over his body; even on his manly parts. Gosh it must’ve been painful but Tom never really expressed himself articulately regarding his life in the circus, except that he wanted out of the place and just live with Sarah. The manager treated him like a stray animal, didn’t let him communicate with the outsiders and ‘created’ him for his own purpose. When an older Tom tried to escape, he even locked him up. It was also implied that he might’ve been sexually abused too. But, Tom didn’t really confirm it with words, only what Sarah thought might’ve happened to him. The more Sarah saw him, the more it’s apparent if one can imagine him without the tattoos, he’s a very attractive man. But to Sarah, he’s attractive nonetheless. And Lord, the guy was sexy with his single-minded devotion and need for her, too.
A girl from the community goes missing in the meantime. Sarah decides to take Tom to help out the search because Tom said he can feel what the girl is feeling. It was a daunting decision for them both but Sarah was hoping, by doing this the community might feel positively towards him. There were trouble at first, with people gawking and so on but the Sheriff was on their side, so was the parents of the girl, especially the mother. Tom helped them find the girl out. I loved this whole search; seeing how a community comes together to work for each-other. But, the same people you think ‘friends’ can turn their back to you when they deem your actions unworthy, being judgmental to the core. When they come back, Sarah ‘showed’ him how proud of him she was. Oh, I so thought Tom deserves such heavenly treatment, his expressions would drive you to your knees, literally! But after this incident, there were more unwarranted advises of not keeping a single man with her and so on. The pastor even comes by with his own two-cents. Though he was nice with Tom, his wife was looking at him as if she was faced with something dangerous. Here, Tom saw something about the wife, which he never told Sarah even when she asked her. Then, Grace comes to see them where Sarah confesses they Tom and she had become lovers. Grace was shocked but not disgusted, which was nice to know. She was so curious about it, asks Sarah if he was tattooed all over or not and how did it feel. I loved Sarah’s answers, it proved how loyal and loving she was to him:
Her tone changed from shocked to curious. “How was it? Was it… different?”
Sarah bit her lip, ashamed to be gossiping but feeling the strong urge to tell. “Yes,”
she confided. “He’s nothing like John. Nothing like him at all.”
“Really? What was different? Did he…?” Grace waved a hand as though erasing a
chalkboard. “Oh, forget it. I shouldn’t be asking this. But,” again her voice lowered, “is he tattooed everywhere?”
Sarah knew it was wrong to talk about him like this, but her inner schoolgirl took over and she nodded, eager to share details. “He’s beautiful … like a stained glass window. And he’s really good with his … mouth.” She raised an eyebrow, giving Grace a significant look.
Her friend gasped and giggled. “But isn’t it weird? Touching him?”
“Skin is skin, Grace,” Sarah chided. “The tattoos are only on the surface, you know.
He’s a man.” A sexy, vulnerable, intense, attractive, responsible, sweet, gentle and loving man.
One day, they make a mistake of bathing nude in the nearby pond where local children sometimes swim. They were apparently seen by some children and soon ‘the news’ spreads like wildfire among the community. That night, someone threw a rock, broke their window with a nasty message on the barn wall. Grace came by to see her, listening to the gossips. She met Tom for the first time and charmed immediately. But, it was tough to read about the other members; how ‘friends’ and ‘well-wishers’ came out with their real faces. Even the fact that Tom helped them with the rescue didn’t matter, they’re such hypocrites. At first, Sarah thought she could weather this but as she courageously goes to the Town, taking Tom with her, she was proven wrong most viciously. The grocery store busybody and the women there gave her cut directs and cold stares. Andrew was nice to her where they went to repair the window. It was the librarian who surprised her, who Sarah thought was the sternest person alive, acted as if Tom was just another guy. I loved it, seeing Sarah so surprised after such treatment from the others and I adored that she never gave up, keeping Tom near always. But, hell broke lose when they were trying get to their cars. Some local ruffians and good-for-nothings broke into a fight with Tom, who was trying to save Sarah when they attacked her at first. The Sheriff’s deputy came by to help them. Hearing the incident last night, he offered more help, saying he’d ask one of the men to drive by her house.
Tom was being distant the whole day, very apparent that he was taking the blame totally onto himself but Sarah told him that she wouldn’t want anything to change between them. Yet, the next day when she woke up, Sarah finds Tom gone, leaving only a short note. She goes insane, thinking what’s might happen to him, how can he wade through the towns alone. She goes to the sheriff at first but comes out without much help. The Sheriff, his deputy, even Grace keep telling her it’s better this way, that she never had a future with him. She looks out on her own, going to places, taking the circus’s trail, thinking he might go back there. But, nothing was helping and her world begins falling apart. She realized she loves him, no matter what. She even tries to reach him through her mind, hoping to get to him. But, the help came again from another unexpected place; this time from Mrs. Sheriff herself. When Sarah went to see the Sheriff, his wife was present. The Sheriff comes out and confesses he knew all along where Tom went but thought this was for ‘the best’ so withheld information from her. His wife, it seems, has a very different opinion, who tells Sarah that she deserves some happiness and it’s none of their business to interfere. Soon she finds Tom in the circus, the scene of their meeting I adored, the way they forget there were people around them. But, the manager, I felt would brew trouble. The sheriff helped them out of the place and they’re back home. Sarah is ecstatic to have Tom around again. Life’s good again (I was pretty jealous reading just how ‘good’ :/). The little girl’s family comes to thank him for saving her life. The girl, Aileen told him how she heard his voice in her head about help is on the way. The family invites them to their BBQ party. Before leaving, the mother tells her to get married, I didn’t think this time it was unwarranted. Sarah didn’t know what to think. I understood because the whole situation was so ‘unorthodox’ as she put it. Could she marry someone so very different in everything and live harmoniously in the society and with herself?
She thought that they could live together for twenty years and he might never consider asking her about marriage. Tom didn’t follow the usual
patterns.
If marriage was what she wanted, then she would have to be the one to propose to
him.
After a while, Sarah realized she might be pregnant. She tells Tom nothing. One night, Tom woke up with the words ‘fire in the barn’. They rush out but Sarah was accosted with a knife by the manager, who was drunk as a skunk and threatened Tom with her life. He has to go back where he ‘belongs’. I wanted to kill the man myself, his treatment of the poor babe was so demeaning. But the fire soon spreads. While Tom was tackling the disgusting skunk, Sarah tries to save her animals. I was so sad to read she couldn’t. Her neighbor rushes in, so is the fire alarm. Some of the people help them, taking care of the fire and their wounds. Tom was again feeling guilty for all these; part of it was because of that man, who kept on taunting him that all of this is his fault. But Sarah, again, said something to him I loved:
Sarah grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look into her eyes. “No! Forget everything that man ever said. You did nothing wrong. Not ever. He made this happen.”
She grasped his hands and held them. “I don’t know how many more ways I can say it. I’m happy you came here. You’ve…” she hesitated over the melodramatic words, but they were the truth and he needed to hear them, “brought my heart to life again.”
She rubbed her hands over his bandaged ones then lifted them to her mouth and
kissed the backs of them.
Finally, the realization hit Sara; why is she holding out? She loves him, this is all that matters. In the BBQ party, Tom was introduced to a lot of people by the hostess. His enthusiasm about farming, while discussing it with Sarah’s neighbor, caught her too. She tells him at night that she’s pregnant. Tom was hesitant, apprehensive about the baby’s future but Sarah gives him the strength. I loved the ending and how they said ILU to each-other, with a marriage forthcoming. Oh I wished there were more in the story. I really wanted to see the baby born and Tom’s expression as he held his baby. As I’ve said before, I wanted to know more things from Tom’s POV, his thoughts. Sarah was hoping that someday he’ll talk about his past to her, I wish I was there when he did. Also, in the end, about Tom’s tattoos; Sarah thought when one observes closely, they were patterned meaningfully but she couldn’t guess how. So, was there any special meaning? But, even with such thoughts buzzing my mind, I give it a 5 star; simply because I loved the story, loved the characters but mostly, I loved Tom with all my heart.
Ok, this is not a man but this pic caught my eyes, which I thought really beautiful. By lusciousUG:
I'd like to thank my GR friend Dinjolina for the recommendation. :)
Once again, another author changed my POV about erotica, or Romantica, whatever you like to call it. This was my first Bonnie Dee book and I’m won over, totally. The setting and the whole premise of the book was so good, with BD’s simple yet beautiful narratives, I had a wonderful, wonderful time. It reminded me quite a lot about Lorraine Heath’s books. My only regret- I wish I had known Tom a little better. He was such a quiet man all through the story. But, either way, Tom melted my heart like a puddle of... something... I really don’t know. He was so so sweet and intense at the same time. *sigh*
Sarah lost her husband in the WWII, just before it ended. It’s been a year and a half and she’s still mourning. She never really got to have him in her life because after a few months of marriage, John was taken away to join the war. Sarah’s life is just black and white. She came to this carnival only because her close friend Grace nagged her to attend with a little matchmaking in mind, which Sarah didn’t know about. She is annoyed, yes, I would be too. Sometimes people think they’re doing the ‘best’ thing for someone without the knowledge of the person in question, which is seriously annoying. Sarah loves to live all by herself, at least for now that’s what she wants. She likes to work on the farm, look after her livestocks, read books or listen to the radio. She’s still not ready to replace John. But, living in a small community of people is tough, when everyone knows about everybody else’s business, something proved to be a cross to bear for her in the later parts of the book. Grace introduces her to a man who works in a repairing shop in Fairfield, Andrew, who is a nice guy. Sarah tries to keep up a conversation and look around the carnival. She hates carnivals, not knowing this one carnival would change her life. Soon, they were walking towards the tent where the freaks are kept- dwarfs, three-legged calf, a bearded lady etc. Sarah kept on looking, feeling rather uncomfortable and she finds herself in front of this area where it seems no one was there. Suddenly, something moved in the back area, dark. A man came forward into the light, every inch of whose body is tattooed. Even his head is shaved and tattooed, so is his face. Sarah is mesmerized from the get go, totally absorbed in his skin and the art that surrounds it, which looks like a quilt very beautifully sewn together. This even distracts the eye from his near nudity. The man sits and even lets her see just how far beneath the clothing he’s been tattooed. I have to agree that this was some scene but I had a tough time imagining the man since I haven’t seen such a heavily tattooed man in real life. It didn’t really matter overall but I wish I had seen Tom with my own eyes; no, not to gape and gawk, just to see him that’s all. When Sarah was moving on, as her friends already did, the man who was it seems was absorbed into his own world, suddenly looks at her; straight and clear with his vivid blue eyes. Sarah felt an immediate shock going all over her body. It seemed like he’s seeing her naked and knows her intimately. She is shaken but soon leaves.
Back in the farm, Sarah is restless. The nights are always lonely for her but this night, she keeps dreaming of the tattooed man, hot, erotic ones. At dawn, she goes about her usual chores, to the barn to feed the animals. In the hayloft, she gets jarred by a figure inside the hay. It’s the tattooed man! She doesn’t know at first what to do. He has escaped it seems. Can he talk? Yah, he can but only in monosyllables. Sarah does something she never thought she’d, in right mind, do. There was something about this man she couldn’t deny. So she takes him in. She feeds him, gives him her husband’s clothes. Tom is very helpful too, he doesn’t talk much but he helps around the farm; feeding the old horse and the only cow, work around the garden, repairs fence. Sarah is happy to have a helping hand after such a long time, a soul to talk to but most especially, to have a man around.
It was a treat to see Sarah and Tom’s relationship growing. Though the book happened around little more than two weeks, I never, once felt that they jumped into bed so soon. It’s because the way they were, it felt like they’re soul mates; that they belong together. Their routine was great, in harmony all the times. Tom from the 1st moment, was so devoted to Sarah that I sighed. And Sarah was always taking care of him. At first, Tom didn’t talk much, didn’t laugh at all, just observed and listened. Many a time, it felt like she was communicating with a child. His views and words were very simple and straight forward. But, that’s only because the horrible way he was treated by the circus manager, an ugly childhood without a comforting hand around. Not at all when he lost his mother, a fortune-teller, at 8. It took him two days to finally smile when Sarah was reading him ‘Tom Sawyer’ after dinner, like the previous days. He begins interacting with her. I loved that his enthusiasm for learning was so great; something would just warm your heart. Sarah took it onto herself to give this man some happiness as she understood, from the very few information Tom gave her about his past, that he needed it. There was one particular scene, with a paper cutting, which Tom kept for a long time- a family vacationing. Sarah asked him about it, in answer he tells her a story he made for the family. But, it revealed so much of the man beneath, at least his hopes and dreams about having a family that brought tears in my eyes. And he outright said that he knows he can’t have it for himself. Ah, so sad. Sarah was very admirable in her treatment of Tom. She was very caring, wanted to know more about him. One day, while she was changing the oil in her car, Tom comes rushing and grabs her out from under it. Soon she realized he just save her as the car came crashing down, which would’ve crushed her too, had it not for Tom. With that, Sarah learns of Tom’s psychic powers. He sees glimpses of peoples’ lives; sometimes pictures, sometimes just a feeling.
As their relationship grew, other troubles brew. At first it was the circus manager who came to pay a call about the ‘retard who escaped’ from his circus. Sarah was thinking how the people around would see him, because most certainly one way or the other the community will learn of his existence. But, when she was around him, she couldn’t help but be happy. I understood her feelings, living alone for years; he was a breath of fresh air to her. And such a sweet man, with sweet, shy smiles and looks that tells her he wants her too. For the first few days, Sarah holds off this mutual desire. She’s already gone to the town where people are busily prattling away about the ‘tattooed freak’ from the circus and how dangerous he might be for the community and so on. Some unwarranted advises came forth for her from the busybodies of the community- like, get married soon. Andrew is still hoping for a date. Soon, Grace, her husband Mark and Andrew came to take her away for a night out. Sarah didn’t want to go first, certainly not leaving Tom home alone. But she understood she can’t sway her friend and they might know of Tom’s existence. When she comes back, Tom wasn’t asleep. As he sees her for the first time, in a party dress, his eyes widened. Sarah was glad to see that. They dance and kiss. Oh, Tom saw Andrew pressing good night kiss on Sarah’s cheek and... It was so nice because he was jealous! After the passionate kisses, they make love. Tom wanted the lights off and Sarah didn’t mind. It was so sweet, can’t tell you, how hesitant and then how ardent and reverent Tom was while touching Sarah. Afterwards, he tells Sarah this is what he saw about her in his vision, which is why he came to her.
Thus begin the new phase of their lives. Oh yes, the very next day, in the morning light Sarah gets to see Tom in his naked glory and the beautiful artworks all over his body; even on his manly parts. Gosh it must’ve been painful but Tom never really expressed himself articulately regarding his life in the circus, except that he wanted out of the place and just live with Sarah. The manager treated him like a stray animal, didn’t let him communicate with the outsiders and ‘created’ him for his own purpose. When an older Tom tried to escape, he even locked him up. It was also implied that he might’ve been sexually abused too. But, Tom didn’t really confirm it with words, only what Sarah thought might’ve happened to him. The more Sarah saw him, the more it’s apparent if one can imagine him without the tattoos, he’s a very attractive man. But to Sarah, he’s attractive nonetheless. And Lord, the guy was sexy with his single-minded devotion and need for her, too.
A girl from the community goes missing in the meantime. Sarah decides to take Tom to help out the search because Tom said he can feel what the girl is feeling. It was a daunting decision for them both but Sarah was hoping, by doing this the community might feel positively towards him. There were trouble at first, with people gawking and so on but the Sheriff was on their side, so was the parents of the girl, especially the mother. Tom helped them find the girl out. I loved this whole search; seeing how a community comes together to work for each-other. But, the same people you think ‘friends’ can turn their back to you when they deem your actions unworthy, being judgmental to the core. When they come back, Sarah ‘showed’ him how proud of him she was. Oh, I so thought Tom deserves such heavenly treatment, his expressions would drive you to your knees, literally! But after this incident, there were more unwarranted advises of not keeping a single man with her and so on. The pastor even comes by with his own two-cents. Though he was nice with Tom, his wife was looking at him as if she was faced with something dangerous. Here, Tom saw something about the wife, which he never told Sarah even when she asked her. Then, Grace comes to see them where Sarah confesses they Tom and she had become lovers. Grace was shocked but not disgusted, which was nice to know. She was so curious about it, asks Sarah if he was tattooed all over or not and how did it feel. I loved Sarah’s answers, it proved how loyal and loving she was to him:
Her tone changed from shocked to curious. “How was it? Was it… different?”
Sarah bit her lip, ashamed to be gossiping but feeling the strong urge to tell. “Yes,”
she confided. “He’s nothing like John. Nothing like him at all.”
“Really? What was different? Did he…?” Grace waved a hand as though erasing a
chalkboard. “Oh, forget it. I shouldn’t be asking this. But,” again her voice lowered, “is he tattooed everywhere?”
Sarah knew it was wrong to talk about him like this, but her inner schoolgirl took over and she nodded, eager to share details. “He’s beautiful … like a stained glass window. And he’s really good with his … mouth.” She raised an eyebrow, giving Grace a significant look.
Her friend gasped and giggled. “But isn’t it weird? Touching him?”
“Skin is skin, Grace,” Sarah chided. “The tattoos are only on the surface, you know.
He’s a man.” A sexy, vulnerable, intense, attractive, responsible, sweet, gentle and loving man.
One day, they make a mistake of bathing nude in the nearby pond where local children sometimes swim. They were apparently seen by some children and soon ‘the news’ spreads like wildfire among the community. That night, someone threw a rock, broke their window with a nasty message on the barn wall. Grace came by to see her, listening to the gossips. She met Tom for the first time and charmed immediately. But, it was tough to read about the other members; how ‘friends’ and ‘well-wishers’ came out with their real faces. Even the fact that Tom helped them with the rescue didn’t matter, they’re such hypocrites. At first, Sarah thought she could weather this but as she courageously goes to the Town, taking Tom with her, she was proven wrong most viciously. The grocery store busybody and the women there gave her cut directs and cold stares. Andrew was nice to her where they went to repair the window. It was the librarian who surprised her, who Sarah thought was the sternest person alive, acted as if Tom was just another guy. I loved it, seeing Sarah so surprised after such treatment from the others and I adored that she never gave up, keeping Tom near always. But, hell broke lose when they were trying get to their cars. Some local ruffians and good-for-nothings broke into a fight with Tom, who was trying to save Sarah when they attacked her at first. The Sheriff’s deputy came by to help them. Hearing the incident last night, he offered more help, saying he’d ask one of the men to drive by her house.
Tom was being distant the whole day, very apparent that he was taking the blame totally onto himself but Sarah told him that she wouldn’t want anything to change between them. Yet, the next day when she woke up, Sarah finds Tom gone, leaving only a short note. She goes insane, thinking what’s might happen to him, how can he wade through the towns alone. She goes to the sheriff at first but comes out without much help. The Sheriff, his deputy, even Grace keep telling her it’s better this way, that she never had a future with him. She looks out on her own, going to places, taking the circus’s trail, thinking he might go back there. But, nothing was helping and her world begins falling apart. She realized she loves him, no matter what. She even tries to reach him through her mind, hoping to get to him. But, the help came again from another unexpected place; this time from Mrs. Sheriff herself. When Sarah went to see the Sheriff, his wife was present. The Sheriff comes out and confesses he knew all along where Tom went but thought this was for ‘the best’ so withheld information from her. His wife, it seems, has a very different opinion, who tells Sarah that she deserves some happiness and it’s none of their business to interfere. Soon she finds Tom in the circus, the scene of their meeting I adored, the way they forget there were people around them. But, the manager, I felt would brew trouble. The sheriff helped them out of the place and they’re back home. Sarah is ecstatic to have Tom around again. Life’s good again (I was pretty jealous reading just how ‘good’ :/). The little girl’s family comes to thank him for saving her life. The girl, Aileen told him how she heard his voice in her head about help is on the way. The family invites them to their BBQ party. Before leaving, the mother tells her to get married, I didn’t think this time it was unwarranted. Sarah didn’t know what to think. I understood because the whole situation was so ‘unorthodox’ as she put it. Could she marry someone so very different in everything and live harmoniously in the society and with herself?
She thought that they could live together for twenty years and he might never consider asking her about marriage. Tom didn’t follow the usual
patterns.
If marriage was what she wanted, then she would have to be the one to propose to
him.
After a while, Sarah realized she might be pregnant. She tells Tom nothing. One night, Tom woke up with the words ‘fire in the barn’. They rush out but Sarah was accosted with a knife by the manager, who was drunk as a skunk and threatened Tom with her life. He has to go back where he ‘belongs’. I wanted to kill the man myself, his treatment of the poor babe was so demeaning. But the fire soon spreads. While Tom was tackling the disgusting skunk, Sarah tries to save her animals. I was so sad to read she couldn’t. Her neighbor rushes in, so is the fire alarm. Some of the people help them, taking care of the fire and their wounds. Tom was again feeling guilty for all these; part of it was because of that man, who kept on taunting him that all of this is his fault. But Sarah, again, said something to him I loved:
Sarah grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look into her eyes. “No! Forget everything that man ever said. You did nothing wrong. Not ever. He made this happen.”
She grasped his hands and held them. “I don’t know how many more ways I can say it. I’m happy you came here. You’ve…” she hesitated over the melodramatic words, but they were the truth and he needed to hear them, “brought my heart to life again.”
She rubbed her hands over his bandaged ones then lifted them to her mouth and
kissed the backs of them.
Finally, the realization hit Sara; why is she holding out? She loves him, this is all that matters. In the BBQ party, Tom was introduced to a lot of people by the hostess. His enthusiasm about farming, while discussing it with Sarah’s neighbor, caught her too. She tells him at night that she’s pregnant. Tom was hesitant, apprehensive about the baby’s future but Sarah gives him the strength. I loved the ending and how they said ILU to each-other, with a marriage forthcoming. Oh I wished there were more in the story. I really wanted to see the baby born and Tom’s expression as he held his baby. As I’ve said before, I wanted to know more things from Tom’s POV, his thoughts. Sarah was hoping that someday he’ll talk about his past to her, I wish I was there when he did. Also, in the end, about Tom’s tattoos; Sarah thought when one observes closely, they were patterned meaningfully but she couldn’t guess how. So, was there any special meaning? But, even with such thoughts buzzing my mind, I give it a 5 star; simply because I loved the story, loved the characters but mostly, I loved Tom with all my heart.
Ok, this is not a man but this pic caught my eyes, which I thought really beautiful. By lusciousUG:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2024
This is my second Bonnie Dee book, first was a Hearing Heart, and Bone Deep is also just as splendid. Setting is post WWII in rural America. It’s a deeply moving story of a young widow, Sarah who’s on an outing with friends to a carnival, and sees a tattooed young man at the freak show. He’s covered everywhere with artistic tattoos… all over. She’s mesmerized. He locks eyes with her.
The next day she discovers him hiding in the barn at her farm. Tom. He’s almost illiterate having lived his whole life with the carnival. They are drawn to each other, she wants him to stay, and he helps her with the farm work. The story progresses thru the town folks’ prejudices juxtaposed against Sarah and Tom’s unfolding love.
This unique story painfully confronts stereotypical beliefs and fearful prejudices and how its love and friendship that really matters. Direct and spare prose, beautifully drawn characters, a touch of paranormal, and sexually erotic scenes make Bone Deep a treasure.
The next day she discovers him hiding in the barn at her farm. Tom. He’s almost illiterate having lived his whole life with the carnival. They are drawn to each other, she wants him to stay, and he helps her with the farm work. The story progresses thru the town folks’ prejudices juxtaposed against Sarah and Tom’s unfolding love.
This unique story painfully confronts stereotypical beliefs and fearful prejudices and how its love and friendship that really matters. Direct and spare prose, beautifully drawn characters, a touch of paranormal, and sexually erotic scenes make Bone Deep a treasure.
February 8, 2013
3 ½ stars. Pleasant reading, above average, but I can’t say I really liked it which would be 4 stars.
Lonely widow Sarah lives on a small farm. She sees Tom the tattooed man as one of the “freaks” on display at the carnival. She and Tom share a moment when their eyes connect. After the carnival leaves town she discovers Tom in her barn. She feeds him and he stays - helping her with the farm.
The story and conflicts were predictable. Tom was abused and forced to get tattooed by the carnival owner who wants him back. The locals are prejudiced against Tom. Religious locals think Sarah is living in sin because Tom is staying at her farm. The story is nicely told and kept my interest, but it was ordinary. I would have liked more surprise, intrigue, or uplifting feelings.
It’s told in 3rd person, but everything is Sarah’s point of view. It might have been better if we were in Tom’s head at times and learned more about Tom’s past. That could have added some nice depth. As it is Tom is an object. We are never in his head.
Aside from the story I had a mental block. I kept thinking Tom is going to die early unless he gets a liver transplant. The reason? A few years back I read about Japanese crime lords who had tattoos covering most of the body. The tattoos prevented the skin from releasing toxins which stressed the liver. These guys paid millions in donations to U.S. hospitals to get to the front of the list to receive liver transplants. Normally I don’t mind suspending disbelief. But I couldn’t get it out of my head. It kept taking me out of the story. I like the idea of Tom being tattooed everywhere, but I’d prefer it be set in the future where he is given injections or something magic to counter the liver problem. But the author wanted a setting of 1946, which was a time when people were more prejudiced, e.g. divorce was shameful back then.
Heroine stupidity? A little. But not bad. Having unprotected sex before she was ready to have children. Having sex outdoors where she could be seen by locals. If the author wants them seen, she could have teenagers peering in the windows to see “the freak.”
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 6,116 (426 KB) 248 pages. Swearing language: none, although the word God was used. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: about 11. Setting: 1946 Fairfield, probably U.S. Copyright: 2012. Genre: contemporary romance with a little paranormal.
Lonely widow Sarah lives on a small farm. She sees Tom the tattooed man as one of the “freaks” on display at the carnival. She and Tom share a moment when their eyes connect. After the carnival leaves town she discovers Tom in her barn. She feeds him and he stays - helping her with the farm.
The story and conflicts were predictable. Tom was abused and forced to get tattooed by the carnival owner who wants him back. The locals are prejudiced against Tom. Religious locals think Sarah is living in sin because Tom is staying at her farm. The story is nicely told and kept my interest, but it was ordinary. I would have liked more surprise, intrigue, or uplifting feelings.
It’s told in 3rd person, but everything is Sarah’s point of view. It might have been better if we were in Tom’s head at times and learned more about Tom’s past. That could have added some nice depth. As it is Tom is an object. We are never in his head.
Aside from the story I had a mental block. I kept thinking Tom is going to die early unless he gets a liver transplant. The reason? A few years back I read about Japanese crime lords who had tattoos covering most of the body. The tattoos prevented the skin from releasing toxins which stressed the liver. These guys paid millions in donations to U.S. hospitals to get to the front of the list to receive liver transplants. Normally I don’t mind suspending disbelief. But I couldn’t get it out of my head. It kept taking me out of the story. I like the idea of Tom being tattooed everywhere, but I’d prefer it be set in the future where he is given injections or something magic to counter the liver problem. But the author wanted a setting of 1946, which was a time when people were more prejudiced, e.g. divorce was shameful back then.
Heroine stupidity? A little. But not bad. Having unprotected sex before she was ready to have children. Having sex outdoors where she could be seen by locals. If the author wants them seen, she could have teenagers peering in the windows to see “the freak.”
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 6,116 (426 KB) 248 pages. Swearing language: none, although the word God was used. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: about 11. Setting: 1946 Fairfield, probably U.S. Copyright: 2012. Genre: contemporary romance with a little paranormal.
October 30, 2011
Sarah is a lonely widow who was dragged to the traveling carnival reluctantly by some friends. Once there she is enthralled by the tattooed man in the freak tent. While the others gawk and point at the man Sarah admires the beauty of him. The next morning while Sarah is still thinking of the tattooed man she actually discovers him in her barn. He has escaped the carnival and the evil man who has kept him imprisoned his entire life. Sarah agrees to let Tom stay with her and within Sarah's home and in her life Tom finally finds a place where he belongs.
I really enjoyed Bone Deep. Tom, the hero wasn't a macho alpha male that bossed his woman around and everyone else around him. He was a true tortured hero who's only wish in life was to be normal and have a family to love and who loved him. He was a man of few words but his actions spoke volumes for him. Sarah was the perfect heroine for Tom. A lonely independent woman who took care of herself and her small farm but longed for something that she didn't quite know what it was until she discovered it in her barn.
Bone Deep was a character driven story in which the hero and heroine though obviously not perfect, were perfect for each other. I loved Tom. He was a man of few words, but it was more than obvious he loved Sarah. It was also obvious why he was, in essence extremely shy. He was different, it was a difference which was forced upon him but it was there none the less. He endured years of physical (mostly sexual), and emotional abuse which rightly so, created an extremely introverted man.
I would recommend Bone Deep to any romance reader who loves the tortured hero theme. This fits the bill perfectly. I would also suggest taking a good look at the cover art for the book. I did both before and after I read it and I feel it was beautifully done. It provided a great visual aid when Sarah examined Tom's tattooed back.
I really enjoyed Bone Deep. Tom, the hero wasn't a macho alpha male that bossed his woman around and everyone else around him. He was a true tortured hero who's only wish in life was to be normal and have a family to love and who loved him. He was a man of few words but his actions spoke volumes for him. Sarah was the perfect heroine for Tom. A lonely independent woman who took care of herself and her small farm but longed for something that she didn't quite know what it was until she discovered it in her barn.
Bone Deep was a character driven story in which the hero and heroine though obviously not perfect, were perfect for each other. I loved Tom. He was a man of few words, but it was more than obvious he loved Sarah. It was also obvious why he was, in essence extremely shy. He was different, it was a difference which was forced upon him but it was there none the less. He endured years of physical (mostly sexual), and emotional abuse which rightly so, created an extremely introverted man.
I would recommend Bone Deep to any romance reader who loves the tortured hero theme. This fits the bill perfectly. I would also suggest taking a good look at the cover art for the book. I did both before and after I read it and I feel it was beautifully done. It provided a great visual aid when Sarah examined Tom's tattooed back.
October 22, 2012
Such a sweet romance.
I had never heard of Bonnie Dee before picking up this book, but I will definitely be checking out more of her books.
Tom was one of the most unique and sweetest heroes I have come across in some time. His character was definitely the main thing I loved about this book.
I had a few issues that kept me from giving this a 5 star rating. Sarah came across as a little flat at times, and the story did seem to drag a bit towards the middle of the book. Also, I realize that Tom was very much a quiet man, but I did miss having him actually telling Sarah how he felt about her.
But otherwise, this was an overall beautiful love story between two lonely people who definitely deserved some happiness. This book left me with a big case of the warm fuzzies. :)
I had never heard of Bonnie Dee before picking up this book, but I will definitely be checking out more of her books.
Tom was one of the most unique and sweetest heroes I have come across in some time. His character was definitely the main thing I loved about this book.
I had a few issues that kept me from giving this a 5 star rating. Sarah came across as a little flat at times, and the story did seem to drag a bit towards the middle of the book. Also, I realize that Tom was very much a quiet man, but I did miss having him actually telling Sarah how he felt about her.
But otherwise, this was an overall beautiful love story between two lonely people who definitely deserved some happiness. This book left me with a big case of the warm fuzzies. :)
November 29, 2010
I wish that this one had been a bit longer and we could have gotten to know Tom a little better. The story was written entirely from Sarah's perspective and Tom was such a quiet man that I feel I didn't get enough of him through the story. Other than that it was a sweet romance about a woman who falls in love with a man who is different, who is difficult for other people to accept, but she stands up for their relationship and remains delightfully strong in the face of the scrutiny of her friends and the small town she lives in. I just wanted more from it, I think these characters and this story could have been explored much more deeply.
January 27, 2013
Very touching story.
Loved the way the author portrayed Sarah as a women taking a risk on love and not being consumed with what everyone thought of Tom.
Sarah saw Tom as the beautiful, sweet and loving person he was meant to be. I really wanted to learn more about Tom and wished this story had been much longer.
Highly recommend this book as well as anything Bonnie Dee writes!
Loved the way the author portrayed Sarah as a women taking a risk on love and not being consumed with what everyone thought of Tom.
Sarah saw Tom as the beautiful, sweet and loving person he was meant to be. I really wanted to learn more about Tom and wished this story had been much longer.
Highly recommend this book as well as anything Bonnie Dee writes!
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