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Skin Deep Inc. #2
Pounding Skin
Fighter pilot Jon Russell never sleeps with the same man twice. Known for his lack of shame when it comes to hooking up, Jon has no interest in commitment—even friends with benefits sounds like too much work.
Matt Huffman has slept with lots of women. He’s had loads of girlfriends. So why does the hot as hell pilot getting a tattoo as the result of a lost bet stop his breath? And how come he can’t stop thinking about him, even after he’s gone?
When Jon returns to Skin Deep the second time, he doesn’t want another tattoo. He wants to hook up with the gorgeous artist he spent hours agonizingly close to, and Matt wants to explore some curiosity about men. Fulfill the desire he can’t stop fantasizing over. And he wants to do it with Jon.
As their casual hook up becomes more than just skin deep, both Matt and Jon are faced with questions they don’t want to answer. Matt understands he’s bi—but are these feelings he has typical of hooking up with a man? Or is it only Jon that can make his heart pound? If Jon wanted nothing more than a fling, why does he find himself needing not just Matt’s body, but all of him? And can their relationship withstand the hardships that makes Jon avoid them in the first place?
Matt Huffman has slept with lots of women. He’s had loads of girlfriends. So why does the hot as hell pilot getting a tattoo as the result of a lost bet stop his breath? And how come he can’t stop thinking about him, even after he’s gone?
When Jon returns to Skin Deep the second time, he doesn’t want another tattoo. He wants to hook up with the gorgeous artist he spent hours agonizingly close to, and Matt wants to explore some curiosity about men. Fulfill the desire he can’t stop fantasizing over. And he wants to do it with Jon.
As their casual hook up becomes more than just skin deep, both Matt and Jon are faced with questions they don’t want to answer. Matt understands he’s bi—but are these feelings he has typical of hooking up with a man? Or is it only Jon that can make his heart pound? If Jon wanted nothing more than a fling, why does he find himself needing not just Matt’s body, but all of him? And can their relationship withstand the hardships that makes Jon avoid them in the first place?
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2017
113 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Witt
219 books2,727 followersL.A. Witt and her husband have been exiled from Spain and sent to live in Maine because rhymes are fun. She now divides her time between writing, assuring people she is aware that Maine is cold, wondering where to put her next tattoo, and trying to reason with a surly Maine coon. Rumor has it her arch nemesis, Lauren Gallagher, is also somewhere in the wilds of New England, which is why L.A. is also spending a portion of her time training a team of spec ops lobsters.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
July 12, 2017
IT'S LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7/11/17
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The series is just getting better for me. I enjoyed this one a lot more than the last book.
I was really worried going into this one because a lot of my fellow GR friends who had already read it were iffy on their ratings. I read a few reviews that made me hesitant as well. But as usual what doesn't work for one reader definitely works for another.
The book starts with Matt coming to the conclusion that he might not be as straight as he had thought. Things took a turn in a threesome with his ex and her new bi boyfriend that he hadn't planned on taking. He ended up getting intimate with the boyfriend and it opened up a whole new world for Matt. He's a bit confused on why this is happening now and why he never figured it out sooner. But he later comes to the conclusion of why that is. I won't spoil it though.
Jon is a fighter pilot and is having a great time being a self proclaimed man slut. He seems to have a bit of a phobia of relationships. He has fears of getting too close to someone just for them to turn around and leave, cheat, and in the end, to hurt him. He doesn't want to hand over that kind of power to someone. But when a bet goes wrong and he finds himself in front of Matt with the rest of his crew to make an appointment for a tattoo that his buddies want tattooed on his ass, he is floored by how hot Matt is. He is also terrified of needles and on the verge of throwing up. lol
The men come together and fireworks explode. To say these men were hot together is an extreme understatement. They had chemistry for days y'all. In and out of the bedroom. I loved that this book was more focused on the men and the relationship. Yes, there is quite a bit of sex but it wasn't overwhelming and constant. These guys went out. They interacted with other people. They had conversations. I felt that all of that was lacking in the last book and is probably why I loved this one so much more.
I adored both of these guys and they had me swooning on multiple occasions. The tender moments literally had me saying AW out loud. The way they touched, kissed, held each other was just super sweet. Not like toothache sweet. Just adorably sweet.
Once I had the chance to sit and read this I couldn't put it down. I loved every minute of it. I liked that there wasn't any real big drama. It was just two guys who didn't think they wanted something serious and ended up finding their soul mate. There might have been a hiccup at the end, but it's kind of expected in such books. But as usual, it never lasts long.
I can't wait for the next book. I feel like saying who it will be about would be spoilery so I will keep mum on it. Just know I am excited! lol
Dolls, give this one a chance. I know if you liked the last book you will definitely fall in like/love with this one.
Happy reading! xx
**ARC kindly provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The series is just getting better for me. I enjoyed this one a lot more than the last book.
I was really worried going into this one because a lot of my fellow GR friends who had already read it were iffy on their ratings. I read a few reviews that made me hesitant as well. But as usual what doesn't work for one reader definitely works for another.
The book starts with Matt coming to the conclusion that he might not be as straight as he had thought. Things took a turn in a threesome with his ex and her new bi boyfriend that he hadn't planned on taking. He ended up getting intimate with the boyfriend and it opened up a whole new world for Matt. He's a bit confused on why this is happening now and why he never figured it out sooner. But he later comes to the conclusion of why that is. I won't spoil it though.
Jon is a fighter pilot and is having a great time being a self proclaimed man slut. He seems to have a bit of a phobia of relationships. He has fears of getting too close to someone just for them to turn around and leave, cheat, and in the end, to hurt him. He doesn't want to hand over that kind of power to someone. But when a bet goes wrong and he finds himself in front of Matt with the rest of his crew to make an appointment for a tattoo that his buddies want tattooed on his ass, he is floored by how hot Matt is. He is also terrified of needles and on the verge of throwing up. lol
The men come together and fireworks explode. To say these men were hot together is an extreme understatement. They had chemistry for days y'all. In and out of the bedroom. I loved that this book was more focused on the men and the relationship. Yes, there is quite a bit of sex but it wasn't overwhelming and constant. These guys went out. They interacted with other people. They had conversations. I felt that all of that was lacking in the last book and is probably why I loved this one so much more.
I adored both of these guys and they had me swooning on multiple occasions. The tender moments literally had me saying AW out loud. The way they touched, kissed, held each other was just super sweet. Not like toothache sweet. Just adorably sweet.
Once I had the chance to sit and read this I couldn't put it down. I loved every minute of it. I liked that there wasn't any real big drama. It was just two guys who didn't think they wanted something serious and ended up finding their soul mate. There might have been a hiccup at the end, but it's kind of expected in such books. But as usual, it never lasts long.
I can't wait for the next book. I feel like saying who it will be about would be spoilery so I will keep mum on it. Just know I am excited! lol
Dolls, give this one a chance. I know if you liked the last book you will definitely fall in like/love with this one.
Happy reading! xx
**ARC kindly provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
July 17, 2017
*3.5 stars*
This might be my favorite L.A. Witt series in years. Sure, these books have a LOT of sex and you have to be into both military men and tattoos, but there is also some real emotion in these stories, and I think L.A. Witt is onto something special.
To be honest, this story came tailor-made for my tastes. I absolutely adore a story where a man is discovering his sexuality for the first time, so Matt's realization that he likes men... yum, TOTALLY my thing. Matt was a very eager student (*wink, wink*), and I loved going along for that ride!
Still, I was a little doubtful that I would like this story in the beginning. It felt... slow, and repetitive for some reason. I didn't feel like much was happening, which I often feel in this author's books. However, the more I read the more the story grew on me, and by the end I had a total smile on my face.
The story is mostly sweet, with a tiny bit of angst. It is a F*ck-buddies-to-lovers story, with some very tender and very hot moments. Yes, I think the sex became a bit too repetitive, even for me, but I left the story with a very positive feeling, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the series has in store for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
This might be my favorite L.A. Witt series in years. Sure, these books have a LOT of sex and you have to be into both military men and tattoos, but there is also some real emotion in these stories, and I think L.A. Witt is onto something special.
To be honest, this story came tailor-made for my tastes. I absolutely adore a story where a man is discovering his sexuality for the first time, so Matt's realization that he likes men... yum, TOTALLY my thing. Matt was a very eager student (*wink, wink*), and I loved going along for that ride!
Still, I was a little doubtful that I would like this story in the beginning. It felt... slow, and repetitive for some reason. I didn't feel like much was happening, which I often feel in this author's books. However, the more I read the more the story grew on me, and by the end I had a total smile on my face.
The story is mostly sweet, with a tiny bit of angst. It is a F*ck-buddies-to-lovers story, with some very tender and very hot moments. Yes, I think the sex became a bit too repetitive, even for me, but I left the story with a very positive feeling, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the series has in store for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
July 10, 2017
3.5*
This is the second book I've read by this author, the first being Back Piece.
Back Piece didn't really work for me (for the reasons given in my review) and it looked like this was heading in the same direction, Matt seemed depressed and had a whole host of problems most of which were financial and so I struggled early on.
Matt has spend his whole life repeating the mantra "I'm not gay" until he's grown to believe it but now he's having serious doubts and no matter how hard he tries even he can't deny his attraction to Jon.
It didn't take long for it to win me over and I found that I liked Matt and Jon together especially the early scenes with Matt coming to terms with his attraction to Jon, the kisses and tentative touches were beautifully written.
As with the previous book there's a lot of sex here and I do mean a lot, as these two settle into their relationship. The problem is Jon isn't a relationship kind of guy he's purely casual and that's the way it starts out but has it become more?
I enjoyed this much more than Back Piece and I'm looking forward to Cover Up which should be an interesting read.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.
June 20, 2019
Matt was straight...until he wasn't...Jon was commitment phobic...until...
I'm totally loving this series...military men...fighter pilots...think 'Top Gun'...tattoos...tattoo artist and a peek at Colin and Daniel from the first book and these boys are still together and in a good place. This makes me happy.
Now as for Matt and Jon...
If you asked Matt he'd tell you he's straight or at least that's what he believed until an encounter with a friend and her boyfriend makes him realize that he was as into the boyfriend as he was his friend...maybe, even a little more so. Matt's spent most of his life claiming he's straight. When in fact he's so far in the closet that his emergency exit opens smack dab in the middle of Narnia.
While Jon's not hiding his sexuality, he's not advertising either at least he's not hiding the fact that he's gay but when it comes to relationships and commitment he's about as phobic as a person can get.
When Jon loses a bet the term 'you bet your sweet a$$' takes on a more personal meaning and when he enters Skin Deep Inc. he discovers that while he may not want a tattoo, he definitely wants the tattoo artist.
What starts as friends with benefits for both Matt and Jon slowly slips into something more and Matt's ok with seeing where things go but Jon's determined to keep it casual...no strings attached.
I really liked both of these men. Matt may have spent years denying that he's bi but when push came to shove he manned up and faced the facts acknowledging that he was bi and not straight and facing the fact that you've been lying to yourself for most of your life isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. There were a couple of times when Matt spent a bit too much time in his head but all things considered that's a pretty human failing. I think most people are guilty of doing this from time to time.
Jon's a good guy and try as he might to deny it his actions scream loud and clear that he cares for Matt as way more than a f*ckbuddy. But it's not just how he is with Matt that shows how good he is. Jon's RIO is also his best friend Nate and I like the interaction that occurs between these two and happily we get to see more of Nate in 'Cover Up' the next book in the 'Skin Deep Inc.' series and one that I'm really looking forward to.
I have to admit as much as I liked Jon, I didn't really get why he was so commitment phobic but when I thought about it I realized that we don't always get why people do what they do or why someone likes what they likes and hates what they hate. it's part of what makes us individuals. So, Jon being commitment phobic for whatever his reasons were was just a part of who he was. Luckily he has a good friend who was willing to call him on his BS.
Matt and Jon were to say the least one sexy couple both in and out of the bedroom. Without a doubt L. A. Witt knows her way around the sexy times and I don't mean just the physical aspect of things, although she's nails that as well but she also makes the connections for her characters on an emotional level and for me that's the difference between an ok or good story and something that totally melts me makes me love the story.
I just want to add one last little comment here and that's about the cover. I love covers...no, I don't factor them in to my ratings that's strictly based on the story but for me the cover is like the blurb it's a promotional tool for the story and I'd be lying if I said that the cover for these books didn't grab my attention because...seriously, have you seen these covers? Do I really need to say more?
'Pounding Skin' it doesn't mean what you think it does...but, you'll have to read the story to find out because I'm not telling ;)
********************
A copy of 'Pounding Skin' was graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm totally loving this series...military men...fighter pilots...think 'Top Gun'...tattoos...tattoo artist and a peek at Colin and Daniel from the first book and these boys are still together and in a good place. This makes me happy.
Now as for Matt and Jon...
If you asked Matt he'd tell you he's straight or at least that's what he believed until an encounter with a friend and her boyfriend makes him realize that he was as into the boyfriend as he was his friend...maybe, even a little more so. Matt's spent most of his life claiming he's straight. When in fact he's so far in the closet that his emergency exit opens smack dab in the middle of Narnia.
While Jon's not hiding his sexuality, he's not advertising either at least he's not hiding the fact that he's gay but when it comes to relationships and commitment he's about as phobic as a person can get.
When Jon loses a bet the term 'you bet your sweet a$$' takes on a more personal meaning and when he enters Skin Deep Inc. he discovers that while he may not want a tattoo, he definitely wants the tattoo artist.
What starts as friends with benefits for both Matt and Jon slowly slips into something more and Matt's ok with seeing where things go but Jon's determined to keep it casual...no strings attached.
I really liked both of these men. Matt may have spent years denying that he's bi but when push came to shove he manned up and faced the facts acknowledging that he was bi and not straight and facing the fact that you've been lying to yourself for most of your life isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. There were a couple of times when Matt spent a bit too much time in his head but all things considered that's a pretty human failing. I think most people are guilty of doing this from time to time.
Jon's a good guy and try as he might to deny it his actions scream loud and clear that he cares for Matt as way more than a f*ckbuddy. But it's not just how he is with Matt that shows how good he is. Jon's RIO is also his best friend Nate and I like the interaction that occurs between these two and happily we get to see more of Nate in 'Cover Up' the next book in the 'Skin Deep Inc.' series and one that I'm really looking forward to.
I have to admit as much as I liked Jon, I didn't really get why he was so commitment phobic but when I thought about it I realized that we don't always get why people do what they do or why someone likes what they likes and hates what they hate. it's part of what makes us individuals. So, Jon being commitment phobic for whatever his reasons were was just a part of who he was. Luckily he has a good friend who was willing to call him on his BS.
Matt and Jon were to say the least one sexy couple both in and out of the bedroom. Without a doubt L. A. Witt knows her way around the sexy times and I don't mean just the physical aspect of things, although she's nails that as well but she also makes the connections for her characters on an emotional level and for me that's the difference between an ok or good story and something that totally melts me makes me love the story.
I just want to add one last little comment here and that's about the cover. I love covers...no, I don't factor them in to my ratings that's strictly based on the story but for me the cover is like the blurb it's a promotional tool for the story and I'd be lying if I said that the cover for these books didn't grab my attention because...seriously, have you seen these covers? Do I really need to say more?
'Pounding Skin' it doesn't mean what you think it does...but, you'll have to read the story to find out because I'm not telling ;)
********************
A copy of 'Pounding Skin' was graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2017
3 solid stars
This was a sweet and light read. I didn't read Back Piece, but this can be read as a stand-alone.
I asked for this ARC because I really love L.A. Witt's writing style. The beginning of this one wasn't as interesting as I thought it might be. I didn't get to turn the pages real fast. But I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected. I must admit I got curious about this book from the blurb. I'm a BIG fan of manwhore characters, especially those who don't believe in relationships and here I got exactly that. And a little more. Well at one point it ended up being kind of frustrating seeing how Jon kept saying over and over that he and Matt didn't have something special. But overall the angst was bearable.
One of the things that didn't really work for me was the bet that Jon lost and he ended having a tattoo. It's not my business, I know, but I really think getting a tattoo should be something special as it's something permanent. Oh, and I should say there's another thing that bothered me. I really would have enjoyed it much more if Matt was totally inexperienced
Anyway, when Jon met Matt - his tattoo artist, well he was hooked. The attraction was huge and this story has SO many HOT scenes. WOW!
But Matt also had his reasons to keep his distance, at least at first. He was convinced he was straight. Both characters were flowed and were afraid to take a chance.
Unfortunately I can't say this story surprised me much and I kind of wanted more. At least we got a nice and sweet ending, with a HEA. If you're looking for a light read, then this is for you.
I'm curious about the next book. Lucas and Nate. This should be really interesting. Poor Nate. I can't wait for him to learn to trust again and give Lucas a chance.
ARC kindly provided to me by the Publisher - St. Martin's Press, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This was a sweet and light read. I didn't read Back Piece, but this can be read as a stand-alone.
I asked for this ARC because I really love L.A. Witt's writing style. The beginning of this one wasn't as interesting as I thought it might be. I didn't get to turn the pages real fast. But I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected. I must admit I got curious about this book from the blurb. I'm a BIG fan of manwhore characters, especially those who don't believe in relationships and here I got exactly that. And a little more. Well at one point it ended up being kind of frustrating seeing how Jon kept saying over and over that he and Matt didn't have something special. But overall the angst was bearable.
One of the things that didn't really work for me was the bet that Jon lost and he ended having a tattoo. It's not my business, I know, but I really think getting a tattoo should be something special as it's something permanent. Oh, and I should say there's another thing that bothered me. I really would have enjoyed it much more if Matt was totally inexperienced
Anyway, when Jon met Matt - his tattoo artist, well he was hooked. The attraction was huge and this story has SO many HOT scenes. WOW!
But Matt also had his reasons to keep his distance, at least at first. He was convinced he was straight. Both characters were flowed and were afraid to take a chance.
Unfortunately I can't say this story surprised me much and I kind of wanted more. At least we got a nice and sweet ending, with a HEA. If you're looking for a light read, then this is for you.
I'm curious about the next book. Lucas and Nate. This should be really interesting. Poor Nate. I can't wait for him to learn to trust again and give Lucas a chance.
ARC kindly provided to me by the Publisher - St. Martin's Press, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
July 2, 2017
3.5 Stars
I'm torn. On one hand, I enjoyed Pounding Skin just a touch more than I did Back Piece. On the other, like Back Piece, and a couple other's I've read by this author, recently, there was too much repetition, not enough actual character development and a boatload of sex. There was some relationship development here, though, which I liked.
There was more conflict in Pounding Skin, than there was in Back Piece, some of which I definitely appreciated. Matt, while accepting his bisexuality pretty quickly, at first, ran scared after his and Jon's first night together, and that rang true to me because it would be scary to rewrite your entire sexuality label after convincing yourself for decades that you're straight.
In fact, I liked Matt a lot. I like it when a character discovers and explores their bisexuality. I like it when people open up to possibilities, even if those possibilities make them uncomfortable. So I enjoyed watching Matt come to terms with, and then embrace his bisexuality. He was a little unsure and very cautious, at first, and I thought that was super sweet.
Jon's contribution to conflict, though, I didn't much care for, so he was a harder sell. I liked him, sure; he was a cocky alpha pilot, but he was a coward from day 1. His whole routine of never wanting a relationship seemed to have no basis in life experience, so I completely didn't get it. He used a few excuses, but at no time did I get an indication that it was because he'd been burned too many times. Or even once. No, he was all 'no strings' because someone at some point in the future might hurt him. Say what? At least Matt had good reasons for locking himself into his closet.
Then, Jon went from 'I never want to settle down' to 'I only want to be with you and I love you' after a single conversation and taking no time at all to self-reflect. That was a let down.
As always, though, LA Witt knows her way around a sex scene. There are few authors that do it better. She writes super hot sex, and Pounding Skin is no exception (even the title sounds dirty). I just kind of need more than that, right now. I don't know if I will continue with this series, or not. I rather like both of the characters that will be MC's in the next book, so I kind of want to read it, but I'm just not sure.
Plenty of people are loving this book, though, and I think if I were more in the mood for a story light on plot, heavy on sex (and sometimes I am), I'd like this one a lot more.
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ARC of Pounding Skin was generously provided by the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I'm torn. On one hand, I enjoyed Pounding Skin just a touch more than I did Back Piece. On the other, like Back Piece, and a couple other's I've read by this author, recently, there was too much repetition, not enough actual character development and a boatload of sex. There was some relationship development here, though, which I liked.
There was more conflict in Pounding Skin, than there was in Back Piece, some of which I definitely appreciated. Matt, while accepting his bisexuality pretty quickly, at first, ran scared after his and Jon's first night together, and that rang true to me because it would be scary to rewrite your entire sexuality label after convincing yourself for decades that you're straight.
In fact, I liked Matt a lot. I like it when a character discovers and explores their bisexuality. I like it when people open up to possibilities, even if those possibilities make them uncomfortable. So I enjoyed watching Matt come to terms with, and then embrace his bisexuality. He was a little unsure and very cautious, at first, and I thought that was super sweet.
Jon's contribution to conflict, though, I didn't much care for, so he was a harder sell. I liked him, sure; he was a cocky alpha pilot, but he was a coward from day 1. His whole routine of never wanting a relationship seemed to have no basis in life experience, so I completely didn't get it. He used a few excuses, but at no time did I get an indication that it was because he'd been burned too many times. Or even once. No, he was all 'no strings' because someone at some point in the future might hurt him. Say what? At least Matt had good reasons for locking himself into his closet.
Then, Jon went from 'I never want to settle down' to 'I only want to be with you and I love you' after a single conversation and taking no time at all to self-reflect. That was a let down.
As always, though, LA Witt knows her way around a sex scene. There are few authors that do it better. She writes super hot sex, and Pounding Skin is no exception (even the title sounds dirty). I just kind of need more than that, right now. I don't know if I will continue with this series, or not. I rather like both of the characters that will be MC's in the next book, so I kind of want to read it, but I'm just not sure.
Plenty of people are loving this book, though, and I think if I were more in the mood for a story light on plot, heavy on sex (and sometimes I am), I'd like this one a lot more.
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ARC of Pounding Skin was generously provided by the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2017
That’s the LA Witt I enjoy so much and I’m so glad I picked up this book. No big drama, no angst : just 2 guys having their life intertwined and going with the flow with the additional spiciness and good banter so famous from this author.
Matt is realizing he is bisexual. That is quite a disturbing revelation for him but doesn’t prevent him to notice Jon and to spend some sexy times with him, with no strings attached. Just 2 guys having a good time in the bedroom and, without noticing, out of the bedroom. It’s hot, it’s easy…it’s an evidence…but for our MCs.
Not very good at doing this review, I’m afraid. I’m going to keep it simple : I greatly enjoyed this hot LA Witt romance !!!
Matt is realizing he is bisexual. That is quite a disturbing revelation for him but doesn’t prevent him to notice Jon and to spend some sexy times with him, with no strings attached. Just 2 guys having a good time in the bedroom and, without noticing, out of the bedroom. It’s hot, it’s easy…it’s an evidence…but for our MCs.
Not very good at doing this review, I’m afraid. I’m going to keep it simple : I greatly enjoyed this hot LA Witt romance !!!
June 22, 2017
I couldn't put this one down!!
I was going to read this no matter what the cover was like because I liked the first book in the series, Back Piece, and I also liked a teaser I read a while back about this one. So the cover wasn't going to affect my decision. The fact that it turned out to be this great was just a nice and much appreciated bonus. I didn't want to write a review where I didn't mention this great image so here you go.
Now, about the actual book. I already said that I enjoyed reading the first book but I liked this one even more and that sure says something.
I couldn't help make comparisons between the two books in order to see why I liked this one better and what I came up with was the fact that this one was more relationship-focused and at the same time we didn't have back-to-back sex scenes that run the danger of getting repetitive and not adding anything to the story.
I'm going to mention some other things that were different between the two books so if someone had a problem with them in the first one would know what to expect here. I want to say that they didn't bother me and some of them made me like the book even more. Here I'm just pointing out the differences between two books in the same series by the same author.
In this book there was a significant amount of less inner dialogues, less family-related drama (as in none) and less angst. There was also less tattooing and less sex scenes. There was more developement in the relationship and in the characters and more interaction with their social circles.
Of course there were sex scenes and the characters were hot together, but it was plot with some sex here and there and not the other way around. If I have to pick between plot or sex scenes I'll pick plot hands down but here I didn't have to pick! The plot was strong and it was definitely there and the sex scenes didn't drown it out, instead they spiced it up and added to it.
I like the trope of a casual arrangement slowly turning in a real relationship and in this book I wasn't disappointed. Jon and Matt had a realistic transition from the first to the second. They didn't rush, they didn't just accept what was happening, they didn't even see it coming. They resisted, they denied, they fought for what they wanted and finally they won.
Matt had a strong character, he was confident and sure of his wants (once he figured them out). He fought for those wants and wasn't prepared to settle for anything less. He was brave and honest and even though he had suppressed his attraction to men for many years, once he realised he was bisexual he embraced it and didn't try to hide it from anyone.
Jon was..... I'll go with "promiscuous" (instead of "manwhore" as Jon referred to himself). He didn't want to settle down, he didn't want commitment, he didn't want anything that said "this is getting serious", so he avoided all that at any cost. He was honest with Matt from the start and since they wanted the same things at that point they started a casual relationship.
What neither of them saw coming were the feelings that started to grow between them and while Matt embraced them, Jon resisted them with passion. He turned a blind eye to what he was feeling and stubbornly insisted that what they talked about in the beginning was still true.
We also got to see Colin and Daniel again here, being together and happily navigating a relationship. Colin was still able to manage his issues and Daniel was still there to support him. And there was another great bonus in this book. We got to see Colin finish Daniel's tattoo!
I was really happy about that. A lot of people mentioned in their reviews of the first book that they were disappointed by the fact that the book had ended with the tattoo still unfinished (myself included) and I don't know if the author already had in mind to include this scene in the next book or if she did it to please her readers, but it was great to see it no matter what prompted the inclusion of the scene here.
In this book we also meet the main characters for the next intalment of the series, Lucas and another secondary character that I won't say his name because I don't want to spoil anything. While I really want to read the second one's story and see what happens in his life after this book, I don't think I would have thought of Lucas for him. I liked Lucas just fine and would read his story, he just didn't seem right for the other one. Of course we saw very little of Lucas here and didn't really get to know him so what do I know?
One thing I'm sure of is that I'm not missing out on any of the books in this series! Recommended!
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I was going to read this no matter what the cover was like because I liked the first book in the series, Back Piece, and I also liked a teaser I read a while back about this one. So the cover wasn't going to affect my decision. The fact that it turned out to be this great was just a nice and much appreciated bonus. I didn't want to write a review where I didn't mention this great image so here you go.
Now, about the actual book. I already said that I enjoyed reading the first book but I liked this one even more and that sure says something.
I couldn't help make comparisons between the two books in order to see why I liked this one better and what I came up with was the fact that this one was more relationship-focused and at the same time we didn't have back-to-back sex scenes that run the danger of getting repetitive and not adding anything to the story.
I'm going to mention some other things that were different between the two books so if someone had a problem with them in the first one would know what to expect here. I want to say that they didn't bother me and some of them made me like the book even more. Here I'm just pointing out the differences between two books in the same series by the same author.
In this book there was a significant amount of less inner dialogues, less family-related drama (as in none) and less angst. There was also less tattooing and less sex scenes. There was more developement in the relationship and in the characters and more interaction with their social circles.
Of course there were sex scenes and the characters were hot together, but it was plot with some sex here and there and not the other way around. If I have to pick between plot or sex scenes I'll pick plot hands down but here I didn't have to pick! The plot was strong and it was definitely there and the sex scenes didn't drown it out, instead they spiced it up and added to it.
I like the trope of a casual arrangement slowly turning in a real relationship and in this book I wasn't disappointed. Jon and Matt had a realistic transition from the first to the second. They didn't rush, they didn't just accept what was happening, they didn't even see it coming. They resisted, they denied, they fought for what they wanted and finally they won.
Matt had a strong character, he was confident and sure of his wants (once he figured them out). He fought for those wants and wasn't prepared to settle for anything less. He was brave and honest and even though he had suppressed his attraction to men for many years, once he realised he was bisexual he embraced it and didn't try to hide it from anyone.
Jon was..... I'll go with "promiscuous" (instead of "manwhore" as Jon referred to himself). He didn't want to settle down, he didn't want commitment, he didn't want anything that said "this is getting serious", so he avoided all that at any cost. He was honest with Matt from the start and since they wanted the same things at that point they started a casual relationship.
What neither of them saw coming were the feelings that started to grow between them and while Matt embraced them, Jon resisted them with passion. He turned a blind eye to what he was feeling and stubbornly insisted that what they talked about in the beginning was still true.
We also got to see Colin and Daniel again here, being together and happily navigating a relationship. Colin was still able to manage his issues and Daniel was still there to support him. And there was another great bonus in this book. We got to see Colin finish Daniel's tattoo!
I was really happy about that. A lot of people mentioned in their reviews of the first book that they were disappointed by the fact that the book had ended with the tattoo still unfinished (myself included) and I don't know if the author already had in mind to include this scene in the next book or if she did it to please her readers, but it was great to see it no matter what prompted the inclusion of the scene here.
In this book we also meet the main characters for the next intalment of the series, Lucas and another secondary character that I won't say his name because I don't want to spoil anything. While I really want to read the second one's story and see what happens in his life after this book, I don't think I would have thought of Lucas for him. I liked Lucas just fine and would read his story, he just didn't seem right for the other one. Of course we saw very little of Lucas here and didn't really get to know him so what do I know?
One thing I'm sure of is that I'm not missing out on any of the books in this series! Recommended!
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
June 29, 2017
***3.5***
These are always the hardest reviews for me to write. I liked the book, but also had some issues with it.
The progression of Matt and Jon's relationship was sexy, sweet, and quite romantic.
Matt's obliviousness to his sexuality could be relatable to many. He spent so much of his life ignoring and dismissing his bisexuality. And his AHA moment when he realizes that it was most likely due to the toxic masculinity he was surrounded by was great to witness.
Jon took a minute to warm up to. He was a self professed slut and likes his lifestyle just the way it is. Unfortunately, I didn't understand his hesitancy with relationships? I feel like that part of his character could have been developed better.
The chemistry between these two was off the charts hot! Matt was all in when it came to exploring his bisexuality. One thing LA Witt sure knows how to do is melt your kindle!
But what I liked most was the quiet moments between Matt and Jon when things were clearly developing into more without either man really realizing it. It was sweet and tender and real-world romantic.
However, as I've come to notice is my issue with this author, this book is padded with some filler. Scenes, observations, details that don't really add anything to the story or the characters.
I like that we got to see Daniel & Colin from the previous book, but it kinda felt forced into parts of the book and didn't flow naturally.
Also, the ending was too rushed for my tastes. Jon flipped his switch too easily. One conversation and BOOM all these realizations hit him....but I didn't feel any of the emotion behind those realizations. And I feel like Matt gave in too easily.
We're given an excellent set up for the next couple in this series, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the author takes those characters because they both have interesting backstories.
***ARC courtesy of publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review***
July 10, 2017
4+ Stars!
Smouldering, fervent and sinfully sexy!
This is a provocative tale that mixes the sweet, modest, tattoo artist Matt who finds himself suddenly reevaluating his sexuality and the cocky, confident, fighter pilot Jon who is only looking for fun, excitement and a good time.
The characters are charming, handsome, and desirable. The writing is smooth and erotic. And the plot is a classic romantic love story about friendship, support, acceptance, family, commitment, and love with a side of red-hot chemistry and an abundance of scorching sex scenes.
This is definitely an entertaining, tantalizing read that does a good job at developing the relationship and the characters and not only gives us the happy-ever-after ending we look forward to and expect in this genre but a cover that is undeniably drool-worthy.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Smouldering, fervent and sinfully sexy!
This is a provocative tale that mixes the sweet, modest, tattoo artist Matt who finds himself suddenly reevaluating his sexuality and the cocky, confident, fighter pilot Jon who is only looking for fun, excitement and a good time.
The characters are charming, handsome, and desirable. The writing is smooth and erotic. And the plot is a classic romantic love story about friendship, support, acceptance, family, commitment, and love with a side of red-hot chemistry and an abundance of scorching sex scenes.
This is definitely an entertaining, tantalizing read that does a good job at developing the relationship and the characters and not only gives us the happy-ever-after ending we look forward to and expect in this genre but a cover that is undeniably drool-worthy.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
September 6, 2017
4 Stars
If I’ve learned anything from reading this series, it’s that L.A. Witt knows how to write her way around a bedroom scene. Because, damn!! This story was hot, hot, HOT!!! *growls*
Where was I?!
Oh, right. Ahem…
In this tasty sequel to the already delicious Back Piece, we are back at Skin Deep Inc., this time following tattoo artist Matt, as he explores his recently actualised bisexuality. And oh boy does he explore it – good and long and hard – with Navy pilot Jon.
If you like your sexy-times hot and plentiful, then this is probably the book for you.
In the plus column, Pounding Skin is full of sexy tattoo artists and smokin’ hot men in uniform. It also has lots and lots of (bi)sexual exploration and a smattering of (minor) issues surrounding acceptance of sexual identity and coming out concerns that are handled without drama or fanfare.
In the minus column – and it’s literally one itty bitty personal quandary – is the fact that MC Jon spends the majority of the story making verbal proclamations about keeping it casual and how it’s simply just sex, even months past the point that he clearly has a heart boner for Matt. I don’t care that he was in denial about his feelings; it was the fact that he was so adamant for so damn long that Matt meant nothing to him that really rubbed me the wrong way. Grow a pair, dude! Sheesh.
Overall, this was another great addition to one of my favourite new series of 2017 and I eagerly await the next release featuring my favourite secondary characters, the newly single and ready to mingle, Nate, and the newest member of Skin Deep Inc., Lucas!
If I’ve learned anything from reading this series, it’s that L.A. Witt knows how to write her way around a bedroom scene. Because, damn!! This story was hot, hot, HOT!!! *growls*
Where was I?!
Oh, right. Ahem…
In this tasty sequel to the already delicious Back Piece, we are back at Skin Deep Inc., this time following tattoo artist Matt, as he explores his recently actualised bisexuality. And oh boy does he explore it – good and long and hard – with Navy pilot Jon.
If you like your sexy-times hot and plentiful, then this is probably the book for you.
In the plus column, Pounding Skin is full of sexy tattoo artists and smokin’ hot men in uniform. It also has lots and lots of (bi)sexual exploration and a smattering of (minor) issues surrounding acceptance of sexual identity and coming out concerns that are handled without drama or fanfare.
In the minus column – and it’s literally one itty bitty personal quandary – is the fact that MC Jon spends the majority of the story making verbal proclamations about keeping it casual and how it’s simply just sex, even months past the point that he clearly has a heart boner for Matt. I don’t care that he was in denial about his feelings; it was the fact that he was so adamant for so damn long that Matt meant nothing to him that really rubbed me the wrong way. Grow a pair, dude! Sheesh.
Overall, this was another great addition to one of my favourite new series of 2017 and I eagerly await the next release featuring my favourite secondary characters, the newly single and ready to mingle, Nate, and the newest member of Skin Deep Inc., Lucas!
June 27, 2017
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
Even if this is book 2 in the Skin Deep Inc. series it could be read as standalone. In fact, if I had read this book before book one, I probably would have enjoy more Colin and Daniel's story. Here we can testify, as the missed epilogue in Back Piece, that they are still happy and totally in love.
Here, in Pounding Skin, a tattoo artist (Matt Huffman) and a USA Navy pilot (Jon Russell) cross paces in Skin Deep Inc. and they are instantly attracted to each other. The problem? One of them is a manwhore allergic to serious relationships and the other, our tattooed hero, doesn't know even if he is straight, bi or gay
"To bi? Or not to bi?"
"Yep. Turns out that I am bi. Because effing hell, I want to taste that man"
Matt, is hot. I know it's not the deepest thing to say as a character's introduction, but he is and I felt really attracted to him. He is pure contradiction. He has a badass exterior going on (broad, sexy, tattooed and pierced) but he is kind, shy and insecure in the inside since he is "experimenting" new things and he doesn't know what to expect or how a fuck buddies arrangement works with another man.
Our other MC, Jon, the pilot, the manwhore, the out and proud who doesn't want a relationship has been a surprise too.
I was gonna start with "he is hot" but I think once in a review is enough. Straightforward and plain with what he wants, Jon is a great and interesting character. He seems to be very confident and clear: he wants to have fun, no strings. And it's not a pose, he is really happy being like this.
" Jon would rather chew off one of his own limbs than do anything that resembled 'settling down'"
Both MCs are deep, complex and attractive enough to support the story themselves even if it's not necessary, because I think this book (and its plot) is better than Back Piece.
I'm not saying book 1 was a bad read because it wasn't, but to me it lacked of something, a missing piece I couldn't put my finger on. But this one has found the lost feeling in its predecessor, and LA Witt have done a great job developing plot and characters.
The couple evolution is palpable and progressive. Everything grows naturally between our MCs and that was something that I truly enjoyed.
There are some great things in this book that I feel the need to highlight:
- This is a story totally based in the relationship development. How they are, how they begin, how they evolve and how they get their HEA.
The plot in this book is a recurrent dynamic in romance. Boy meet boy, everything starts as a casual thing and then the attraction develops in something different, bigger and deeper. But even if the formula has been used till satiation, Witt makes it work perfectly here. I really liked the way the story is told. It is entertaining and sexy and undoubtedly very well written.
- The sex scenes: my inner slut was totally satisfied. And it wasn't that way in book one, where they were too many and not as hot as Matt and Jon's scenes.
But it is true that in my opinion there is still a lot of sex. I would have been happier with less.
- The background and the secondary character's stories are remarkable. In this book you get to know our boys, but also their friends. In fact, after reading about our next couple I'm totally in for book 3. It could be my favorite in this series.
So, would I recommend Pounding Skin? I think it is a great read so even if you haven't enjoy Back Piece, you could enjoy Jon and Matt's love story.
Even if this is book 2 in the Skin Deep Inc. series it could be read as standalone. In fact, if I had read this book before book one, I probably would have enjoy more Colin and Daniel's story. Here we can testify, as the missed epilogue in Back Piece, that they are still happy and totally in love.
Here, in Pounding Skin, a tattoo artist (Matt Huffman) and a USA Navy pilot (Jon Russell) cross paces in Skin Deep Inc. and they are instantly attracted to each other. The problem? One of them is a manwhore allergic to serious relationships and the other, our tattooed hero, doesn't know even if he is straight, bi or gay
"To bi? Or not to bi?"
"Yep. Turns out that I am bi. Because effing hell, I want to taste that man"
Matt, is hot. I know it's not the deepest thing to say as a character's introduction, but he is and I felt really attracted to him. He is pure contradiction. He has a badass exterior going on (broad, sexy, tattooed and pierced) but he is kind, shy and insecure in the inside since he is "experimenting" new things and he doesn't know what to expect or how a fuck buddies arrangement works with another man.
Our other MC, Jon, the pilot, the manwhore, the out and proud who doesn't want a relationship has been a surprise too.
I was gonna start with "he is hot" but I think once in a review is enough. Straightforward and plain with what he wants, Jon is a great and interesting character. He seems to be very confident and clear: he wants to have fun, no strings. And it's not a pose, he is really happy being like this.
" Jon would rather chew off one of his own limbs than do anything that resembled 'settling down'"
Both MCs are deep, complex and attractive enough to support the story themselves even if it's not necessary, because I think this book (and its plot) is better than Back Piece.
I'm not saying book 1 was a bad read because it wasn't, but to me it lacked of something, a missing piece I couldn't put my finger on. But this one has found the lost feeling in its predecessor, and LA Witt have done a great job developing plot and characters.
The couple evolution is palpable and progressive. Everything grows naturally between our MCs and that was something that I truly enjoyed.
There are some great things in this book that I feel the need to highlight:
- This is a story totally based in the relationship development. How they are, how they begin, how they evolve and how they get their HEA.
The plot in this book is a recurrent dynamic in romance. Boy meet boy, everything starts as a casual thing and then the attraction develops in something different, bigger and deeper. But even if the formula has been used till satiation, Witt makes it work perfectly here. I really liked the way the story is told. It is entertaining and sexy and undoubtedly very well written.
- The sex scenes: my inner slut was totally satisfied. And it wasn't that way in book one, where they were too many and not as hot as Matt and Jon's scenes.
But it is true that in my opinion there is still a lot of sex. I would have been happier with less.
- The background and the secondary character's stories are remarkable. In this book you get to know our boys, but also their friends. In fact, after reading about our next couple I'm totally in for book 3. It could be my favorite in this series.
So, would I recommend Pounding Skin? I think it is a great read so even if you haven't enjoy Back Piece, you could enjoy Jon and Matt's love story.
My reviews are posted on Dirty Books Obsession
July 11, 2017
Fighter pilot / unrepentant manwhore Jon meets tattoo artist Matt after losing a bet with his squadron and being dragged off to Skin Deep to get a tattoo ... on his ass ... of a rival squadron ... because Jon had fucked three of their pilots in the last year.
Matt has been struggling with his sexuality of late, and after practically a lifetime of reflexively insisting "I'm not gay" Matt is slowly realizing he's bisexual. The sparks fly between Jon and Matt, and Matt learns pretty quickly that yup, he is bisexual and that sex with Jon is pretty damn amazing. Their sexual chemistry is off-the-chain and the term "pounding skin" doesn't only apply to the art of tattooing here.
The relationship starts out as fuck buddies, or as Jon says "you're talking to a guy who thinks friends with benefits is too much commitment." And at first Matt is fine with this. He's just getting his bearings and has no complaints. "He had Jon. He had amazing sex. And he wasn't about to demand anything more."
This story thankfully has considerably less details about tattooing and aftercare than Back Piece, with the focus of the story on Jon and Matt. In the beginning Matt really struggles - "when you've spent your whole life saying you're not something, it's really hard to adjust to the reality that you are" - and the plot really held my interest as Matt navigates his way, wondering if what he and Jon have is something more than sex.
The subplot of Nate and Caleb's troubled marriage provides the catalyst for Jon to wonder if safeguarding his heart is really the answer. As Nate tells Jon:
I received an ARC from the Publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Matt has been struggling with his sexuality of late, and after practically a lifetime of reflexively insisting "I'm not gay" Matt is slowly realizing he's bisexual. The sparks fly between Jon and Matt, and Matt learns pretty quickly that yup, he is bisexual and that sex with Jon is pretty damn amazing. Their sexual chemistry is off-the-chain and the term "pounding skin" doesn't only apply to the art of tattooing here.
The relationship starts out as fuck buddies, or as Jon says "you're talking to a guy who thinks friends with benefits is too much commitment." And at first Matt is fine with this. He's just getting his bearings and has no complaints. "He had Jon. He had amazing sex. And he wasn't about to demand anything more."
This story thankfully has considerably less details about tattooing and aftercare than Back Piece, with the focus of the story on Jon and Matt. In the beginning Matt really struggles - "when you've spent your whole life saying you're not something, it's really hard to adjust to the reality that you are" - and the plot really held my interest as Matt navigates his way, wondering if what he and Jon have is something more than sex.
The subplot of Nate and Caleb's troubled marriage provides the catalyst for Jon to wonder if safeguarding his heart is really the answer. As Nate tells Jon:
I mean, yeah, yeah, you might get hurt. And every time we go up in our bird, we might crash and burn and fucking die, but that doesn't stop you from taking off, does it?While I liked the first book in this series, Pounding Skin really knocks it out of the ballpark with two interesting characters, omigawd hot sex, a tight plot and a HFN ending. In Pounding Skin, we get to catch up on Colin and Daniel from Back Piece, and I'm looking forward to Cover Up, the next book in the series and seeing how Jon and Matt's relationship matures and develops. 4.5 stars!
I received an ARC from the Publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
July 1, 2017
***ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
Now this, this is the L.A. Witt I know and love.
The first one I gave a 3.5 star review for because something was missing - well that thing was not missing from this book.
Jon and Matt start out as fuck buddies - and the sex did not disappoint throughout this novel, which made me giddy because a big thing for me with the first one was that the sex didn't do much for me. But whoo boy did it do it for me in this one.
Matt and Jon had something special, and I loved how seamlessly they fell into a relationship - even though Jon hadn't wanted to admit it. But they were natural together, their chemistry was sizzling.
We didn't see much of Colin and Daniel, which I was okay with but also kind of "huh" about because their book ended kind of abruptly and while I didn't love their book, I did like it, so I would have liked to have seen more of them together, like an epilogue woven throughout this book to get a better sense of them together together. But I also didn't mind because again, I didn't love their book, and I was loving Matt and Jon so much, so it was oaky at the same time that we only got a tidbit here and there about them. Enough to know they were happy and together, so that was nice :)
I had no problem with Matt and Jon's ending in this one - it felt complete, like they had earned their happy ending, that they established the parameters of their relationship and understood each other and cleared up the air, everything. And it had felt like they had been in a relationship for most of the book anyway that it felt more like them getting back together at the end instead of together for the first time.
And I guess I'm sitting here trying to figure out if anything truly bothered me and...not really. This was an awesome, good read, a fun read, with interesting characters that hooked me into the story - a story which I had to put down at 2:30 in the morning so I could get some sleep.
I loved this book, and it is definitely better than the first. I would go as far as to say that if you guys haven't read the first - you really don't need to, although it was enjoyable. And this can be read as a standalone so you won't be missing anything by reading this without the first. Definitely recommend this one <3
Now this, this is the L.A. Witt I know and love.
The first one I gave a 3.5 star review for because something was missing - well that thing was not missing from this book.
Jon and Matt start out as fuck buddies - and the sex did not disappoint throughout this novel, which made me giddy because a big thing for me with the first one was that the sex didn't do much for me. But whoo boy did it do it for me in this one.
Matt and Jon had something special, and I loved how seamlessly they fell into a relationship - even though Jon hadn't wanted to admit it. But they were natural together, their chemistry was sizzling.
We didn't see much of Colin and Daniel, which I was okay with but also kind of "huh" about because their book ended kind of abruptly and while I didn't love their book, I did like it, so I would have liked to have seen more of them together, like an epilogue woven throughout this book to get a better sense of them together together. But I also didn't mind because again, I didn't love their book, and I was loving Matt and Jon so much, so it was oaky at the same time that we only got a tidbit here and there about them. Enough to know they were happy and together, so that was nice :)
I had no problem with Matt and Jon's ending in this one - it felt complete, like they had earned their happy ending, that they established the parameters of their relationship and understood each other and cleared up the air, everything. And it had felt like they had been in a relationship for most of the book anyway that it felt more like them getting back together at the end instead of together for the first time.
And I guess I'm sitting here trying to figure out if anything truly bothered me and...not really. This was an awesome, good read, a fun read, with interesting characters that hooked me into the story - a story which I had to put down at 2:30 in the morning so I could get some sleep.
I loved this book, and it is definitely better than the first. I would go as far as to say that if you guys haven't read the first - you really don't need to, although it was enjoyable. And this can be read as a standalone so you won't be missing anything by reading this without the first. Definitely recommend this one <3
February 26, 2018
Sex, hot sex, hotter sex....and scene.
So, if you like hot sex, this is your book. There was a lot of it. Tons. Sometimes, books so overloaded with sex become, dare I say it, boring. But these guys were so off the charts hot for each other that you could feel it and indulge in every scene with them.
So, there was a plot of sorts aside from the hot sex. Manwhore Navy pilot, Jon, loses a bet and has to get a tattoo. Enter Matt, the hot tattoo artist who’s questioning his “not gay” status.
Matt wants to explore and learn the ways of man sex with no strings attached. This suits commitment phobe Jon perfectly. Of course, no strings turns into something more.
Did this book deserve 4 Stars? Maybe 3.5, but I so enjoyed imagining these boys slamming each other against the walls and pounding into each other into the mattress that it deserves a 4 for pure hotness.
I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, this was the second and I didn’t feel lost. So, go at it. These guys are scorching together!
So, if you like hot sex, this is your book. There was a lot of it. Tons. Sometimes, books so overloaded with sex become, dare I say it, boring. But these guys were so off the charts hot for each other that you could feel it and indulge in every scene with them.
So, there was a plot of sorts aside from the hot sex. Manwhore Navy pilot, Jon, loses a bet and has to get a tattoo. Enter Matt, the hot tattoo artist who’s questioning his “not gay” status.
Matt wants to explore and learn the ways of man sex with no strings attached. This suits commitment phobe Jon perfectly. Of course, no strings turns into something more.
Did this book deserve 4 Stars? Maybe 3.5, but I so enjoyed imagining these boys slamming each other against the walls and pounding into each other into the mattress that it deserves a 4 for pure hotness.
I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, this was the second and I didn’t feel lost. So, go at it. These guys are scorching together!
June 18, 2017
Absolutely as hot as the photo on the cover! Overall I enjoyed this one more than book one, even though I've given them the same rating.
There's far less angst in this one, for most of the book the MCs are happily together just getting on with having some of that amazing sex LA Witt is so, so good at writing.
There's little in the way of outside forces creating tensions, it all comes from the relationship development itself and even that isn't particularly bad.
Jon needed his eyes opening to see what he was potentially throwing away and Matt needed to wake up and realise he wanted more and that he wouldn't wait around. Thankfully some proverbial head knocking resulted in some top class grovelling and an epic HFN nudging into a HEA.
Nice to see Colin and Daniel from book one not only still together but thriving and I'm loving the book three pairing.
#ARC received from the publishers via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
There's far less angst in this one, for most of the book the MCs are happily together just getting on with having some of that amazing sex LA Witt is so, so good at writing.
There's little in the way of outside forces creating tensions, it all comes from the relationship development itself and even that isn't particularly bad.
Jon needed his eyes opening to see what he was potentially throwing away and Matt needed to wake up and realise he wanted more and that he wouldn't wait around. Thankfully some proverbial head knocking resulted in some top class grovelling and an epic HFN nudging into a HEA.
Nice to see Colin and Daniel from book one not only still together but thriving and I'm loving the book three pairing.
#ARC received from the publishers via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
June 22, 2017
~3 Stars~
This is a review that I have been working on for several days, and in the end decided to chuck everything I've written and give you my true thoughts right from the cuff.
L.A. Witt is an author I've read multiple times, she is like a machine, I've no idea how she is able to put out so many books. It simply blows my mind, especially when I'm struggling with just writing a simple review. So here is an author that I have a history of being very hit or miss with, this book is the exception because I neither loved nor hated it. Quite honestly I was just underwhelmed from start to finish. There was not much to this story that I've not read before, and it's predictability led to it ultimately being a bit boring.
So, while the story itself wasn't necessary poorly told or badly written, it wasn't very interesting...at least for me. In the end it was a bit meh.
**ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
This is a review that I have been working on for several days, and in the end decided to chuck everything I've written and give you my true thoughts right from the cuff.
L.A. Witt is an author I've read multiple times, she is like a machine, I've no idea how she is able to put out so many books. It simply blows my mind, especially when I'm struggling with just writing a simple review. So here is an author that I have a history of being very hit or miss with, this book is the exception because I neither loved nor hated it. Quite honestly I was just underwhelmed from start to finish. There was not much to this story that I've not read before, and it's predictability led to it ultimately being a bit boring.
So, while the story itself wasn't necessary poorly told or badly written, it wasn't very interesting...at least for me. In the end it was a bit meh.
**ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
September 20, 2017
An enjoyable read. I liked the friendship dynamic between Jon & Matt however I couldn't handle the " friends with benefits " vibe. To me it added angst and uncertainty and I was waiting for the bomb to drop ! Poor Matt realized he wanted more with Jon who was way too scared of commitment and chose to let Matt go rather than to give his heart a try. While they were both hot for each other, something had to give. Looking forward to book 3
September 15, 2017
First of all, the hero Jon got bullied to get a tattoo he never wanted doesn't sit well with me, despite the fact that is the precursor for him to meet our other hero, Matt, the tattoo artist.
Matt is under going some confusion over his own sexual orientation. He thought he is straight but after a great threesome, he starts to question himself. It doesn't help that Jon walked in and he's all Matt can think about. Meanwhile, Jon is a total manwh0re and a commitment phobe, but he is more than happy to let Matt practice on him and confirm his sexuality.
It goes without saying LA Witt doesn't fail in delivering some heated scenes. The guys have great chemistry and I enjoyed their progression on their not-a-relationship. What will happen when one of them wanted more than these constant hook up? The drama towards the end isn't all that surprising and it did get resolve without much fan fare.
Matt is under going some confusion over his own sexual orientation. He thought he is straight but after a great threesome, he starts to question himself. It doesn't help that Jon walked in and he's all Matt can think about. Meanwhile, Jon is a total manwh0re and a commitment phobe, but he is more than happy to let Matt practice on him and confirm his sexuality.
It goes without saying LA Witt doesn't fail in delivering some heated scenes. The guys have great chemistry and I enjoyed their progression on their not-a-relationship. What will happen when one of them wanted more than these constant hook up? The drama towards the end isn't all that surprising and it did get resolve without much fan fare.
July 11, 2017
3.5 Stars
A hookup turns to true love romance.
Tattoo artist Matt's struggling to accept his burgeoning feelings is sexual attraction to men in general, and in particular for hottie Navy pilot Jon.
Told in dual POV from both Jon and Matt's perspectives, this book certainly has some insanely hot moments.
Matt really struggles with being with a man, and Jon's always been more of a love 'em and leave 'em type not letting anyone get too close. Jon is more than willing to help Matt explore his newly discovered bisexuality. Jon knows what he wants sexually and helps Matt learn what works for him. But as the relationship builds and the lines between hookup and for real get blurred Jon pulls away and there is some miscommunication.
Aside from the miscommunication towards the end the story flowed well with likable characters, good pacing, lots of sex, and a strong HFN ending.
There's also an excerpt from the next Skin Deep, Inc. novel: Cover Up that sounds pretty darn good.
For the sticklers: There were some issues with editing that I would have expected, as a second edition, to have been found and taken care of, but all in all this was a fun read.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Pounding Skin (Skin Deep, Inc. #2) provided by SMP Swerve via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
A hookup turns to true love romance.
Tattoo artist Matt's struggling to accept his burgeoning feelings is sexual attraction to men in general, and in particular for hottie Navy pilot Jon.
Told in dual POV from both Jon and Matt's perspectives, this book certainly has some insanely hot moments.
Matt really struggles with being with a man, and Jon's always been more of a love 'em and leave 'em type not letting anyone get too close. Jon is more than willing to help Matt explore his newly discovered bisexuality. Jon knows what he wants sexually and helps Matt learn what works for him. But as the relationship builds and the lines between hookup and for real get blurred Jon pulls away and there is some miscommunication.
Aside from the miscommunication towards the end the story flowed well with likable characters, good pacing, lots of sex, and a strong HFN ending.
There's also an excerpt from the next Skin Deep, Inc. novel: Cover Up that sounds pretty darn good.
For the sticklers: There were some issues with editing that I would have expected, as a second edition, to have been found and taken care of, but all in all this was a fun read.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Pounding Skin (Skin Deep, Inc. #2) provided by SMP Swerve via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
dnf
June 26, 2017Several things didn't work for me right from the start.
I'm sorry this one didn't work for me. I want to love every book I read. I loved the first in this series and I'm looking forward to the next one.
No rating since I barely got to 25% before I started skimming.
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
I'm sorry this one didn't work for me. I want to love every book I read. I loved the first in this series and I'm looking forward to the next one.
No rating since I barely got to 25% before I started skimming.
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
Read
May 30, 2017July 2017.
September 26, 2017
This was soooooooo much better than Back Piece, so much.
Although it followed sort of the same formula as the first book, I enjoyed the characters so much more. This didn't feel as depressing and really, it had such a romantic undertone that I very much enjoyed. There is definitely a formula for this series though. No relationships, nothing serious, sex, sex and more sex and of course the little bitty misunderstanding.
This one bordered on unbelievable due to the romantic feeling I got. Jon and Matt were really into each other and all the looks and touches and my God, every single minute of free time spent together made it so obvious! I wasn't sure how the this is only casual misunderstanding was going to go down because there was so much love! It happened, it worked and thank you Author for making the drama short and sweet.
What else. Oh, the writing flowed better and I was able to keep turning the pages and never felt like I fell out of the story.
These boys were smokin' hot. Seriously. But man, they did have a lot of sex. A lot.
The way tattoos are handled still irritates me. For a series based on a tattoo shop I would expect a better portrayal but that might just be me.
For sure on to the next one.
Although it followed sort of the same formula as the first book, I enjoyed the characters so much more. This didn't feel as depressing and really, it had such a romantic undertone that I very much enjoyed. There is definitely a formula for this series though. No relationships, nothing serious, sex, sex and more sex and of course the little bitty misunderstanding.
This one bordered on unbelievable due to the romantic feeling I got. Jon and Matt were really into each other and all the looks and touches and my God, every single minute of free time spent together made it so obvious! I wasn't sure how the this is only casual misunderstanding was going to go down because there was so much love! It happened, it worked and thank you Author for making the drama short and sweet.
What else. Oh, the writing flowed better and I was able to keep turning the pages and never felt like I fell out of the story.
These boys were smokin' hot. Seriously. But man, they did have a lot of sex. A lot.
The way tattoos are handled still irritates me. For a series based on a tattoo shop I would expect a better portrayal but that might just be me.
For sure on to the next one.
July 13, 2017
Jon and Matt
They meet in the tattoo shop where Matt will put a tattoo on Jon's....butt....yeah he lost a bet with his friends/colleagues.
Matt having trouble to find out who he really is. His first act was always "I'm not gay!" And that's exactly what he tells Jon. But lately he has his doubts
Jon, fighter pilot, doesn't do relationships....nope... he only does one time fucks...so that's what he wants from Matt. After hearing from Matt that he's not gay he apologize for getting the wrong idea. Matt takes him apart and tells he do want a one time fuck....and no strings at all. Because Matt wants to spread his wings with men...and he can practice with Jon.
That's precisely what they both want. No strings.....
So they hook up....one time...and another....and another....
Damn they are so hot and vibrant. They fit perfectly together and in no time they are inseparable.....and uhuhh no relationships....
What first looks as the perfect arrangement is exactly the one thing that kills their relationships.
Well written, enough developed story and entertaining hot.
Both men, their friends and colleagues were well put down.
Worth reading!
Kindly received a link to the copy from @SMPRomance SMPRomance
They meet in the tattoo shop where Matt will put a tattoo on Jon's....butt....yeah he lost a bet with his friends/colleagues.
Matt having trouble to find out who he really is. His first act was always "I'm not gay!" And that's exactly what he tells Jon. But lately he has his doubts
Jon, fighter pilot, doesn't do relationships....nope... he only does one time fucks...so that's what he wants from Matt. After hearing from Matt that he's not gay he apologize for getting the wrong idea. Matt takes him apart and tells he do want a one time fuck....and no strings at all. Because Matt wants to spread his wings with men...and he can practice with Jon.
That's precisely what they both want. No strings.....
So they hook up....one time...and another....and another....
Damn they are so hot and vibrant. They fit perfectly together and in no time they are inseparable.....and uhuhh no relationships....
What first looks as the perfect arrangement is exactly the one thing that kills their relationships.
Well written, enough developed story and entertaining hot.
Both men, their friends and colleagues were well put down.
Worth reading!
Kindly received a link to the copy from @SMPRomance SMPRomance
July 6, 2017
Pounding Skin is the second book in L.A. Witt's Skin Deep Inc series, but can be read as a stand alone. We do see a little bit of the couple from the first story, Daniel and Colin, but you wouldn't be lost if you decided to read the books out of order. I think I liked this one slightly better than the first book, but still not enough to bump it up to a 4 star rating. I needed a little more from the story.
These two had a ton of chemistry together and burned up the pages together with all of their sexy scenes. Since they have a friends-with-benefits relationship there are a lot of steamy scenes in this one. Normally I like the steamy scenes, but I felt like there were maybe a bit TOO many. It took a bit away from their story and I found myself skimming a little. I really loved seeing their relationship slowly progress and them starting to get feelings for each other, even if Jon was purposely obtuse about them.
I will say that while I loved the sizzling chemistry between the two of them, I did wish for a little more of a plot. This was a very relationship-focused story and I would have liked to know more about the characters and what's going on in their day to day lives. We get some of Matt's backstory regarding his family, but we also know from the very beginning of the story that he is struggling with being able to pay his bills....but other than the issues with his car that is that last we hear of it. It sounded pretty dire at the beginning of the story so I was really surprised when it wasn't mentioned again. We never really learn too much about Jon, other than that he is a bit of a self-proclaimed manwhore. We also find out that his parents were okay with him coming out as gay but we don't learn much else about his backstory other than that...and of course we know he's a pilot. I would have liked to know more about why he is so against a real relationship. It seems like there should be a reason for him being so vehemently against it, other than "I'm saving myself from being hurt". I just wanted a little more.
The ending was a little rushed but we are left with a happy ending, which I always love. We also get a little sneak peak at the next book in the series. If you are in the mood for a low angst read with lots of steam then this is the book for you, but maybe not so much if you want something with deeper meaning. Even with the issues I had with this one, I will still be picking up the next book.
* I received an ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
These two had a ton of chemistry together and burned up the pages together with all of their sexy scenes. Since they have a friends-with-benefits relationship there are a lot of steamy scenes in this one. Normally I like the steamy scenes, but I felt like there were maybe a bit TOO many. It took a bit away from their story and I found myself skimming a little. I really loved seeing their relationship slowly progress and them starting to get feelings for each other, even if Jon was purposely obtuse about them.
I will say that while I loved the sizzling chemistry between the two of them, I did wish for a little more of a plot. This was a very relationship-focused story and I would have liked to know more about the characters and what's going on in their day to day lives. We get some of Matt's backstory regarding his family, but we also know from the very beginning of the story that he is struggling with being able to pay his bills....but other than the issues with his car that is that last we hear of it. It sounded pretty dire at the beginning of the story so I was really surprised when it wasn't mentioned again. We never really learn too much about Jon, other than that he is a bit of a self-proclaimed manwhore. We also find out that his parents were okay with him coming out as gay but we don't learn much else about his backstory other than that...and of course we know he's a pilot. I would have liked to know more about why he is so against a real relationship. It seems like there should be a reason for him being so vehemently against it, other than "I'm saving myself from being hurt". I just wanted a little more.
The ending was a little rushed but we are left with a happy ending, which I always love. We also get a little sneak peak at the next book in the series. If you are in the mood for a low angst read with lots of steam then this is the book for you, but maybe not so much if you want something with deeper meaning. Even with the issues I had with this one, I will still be picking up the next book.
* I received an ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
October 19, 2017
While book one didn't really work for me, this one is way much better for my reading mood.
Jon and Matt got 'it' from the very beginning, though they didn't realized that bonding after awhile.
After that one night stand hook up became two night stand and another, seemed they cannot stay away from each other for too long.
Denial is sucks, when what you need is a great relationship and you had already told your love interest that you're not into relationship, you need to work harder to make it right.
But somehow, Jon and Matt learned by time. Especially with Nate and Caleb's relationship in the picture.
Now I'm curious about the next book. I hope, I'll getting more and more interesting.
*Reading for Netgalley and St.Martin's Press.*
Jon and Matt got 'it' from the very beginning, though they didn't realized that bonding after awhile.
After that one night stand hook up became two night stand and another, seemed they cannot stay away from each other for too long.
Denial is sucks, when what you need is a great relationship and you had already told your love interest that you're not into relationship, you need to work harder to make it right.
But somehow, Jon and Matt learned by time. Especially with Nate and Caleb's relationship in the picture.
Now I'm curious about the next book. I hope, I'll getting more and more interesting.
*Reading for Netgalley and St.Martin's Press.*
July 14, 2017
Reviewed for Just Love.
3.5 Stars
Pounding Skin is proving to be harder for me to review than I thought possible. Why? Because I really did like it a lot, but I don’t know… So, what did I like?
I enjoyed Jon and Matt. Both characters are unique and have their own personalities that single them out from one another. Jon, with his carefree attitude about sex, his promiscuity, his seemingly very deep rooted reasons for not wanting a relationship… he is who he is and he doesn’t apologize for it. I love that in a person. He’s a really good guy, caring and honest. I also liked Matt and all his vulnerabilities, the way he has this quiet confidence that shines when things are going well for him. He’s got a lot to figure out, ideas to come to terms with, and while he’s doing that with Jon, they made quite a pair.
The sort of dating that they do, because neither man want’s a “relationship”, is free, open, and really steamy. There is a lot of sex. Like, really a lot. Actually, it’s a little bit much for my tastes, but it’s all still very hot. But better were the moments when they each let their guards down, were themselves, and just enjoyed each others company. Because no, it was not all just about the sex. As Jon and Matt get to know each other more, spend more time together, they find that that both like each other very much, and really do enjoy each others company. These moments of fun, laughter, tenderness and caring are what stand out for me the most.
I also really loved Matt’s realization that he’s bisexual, why he’s always denied it, the sort of epiphany that toxic masculinity has been dong him in his whole life, and how it’s not a simple thing for him to overcome and accept. He struggles with it and that struggle felt very real and honest in it’s portrayal.
So I really liked the story. I liked it a lot. But as I mentioned, there is more sex than I felt was necessary. The relationship they have and the feelings that develop hold the story together, but not a much as I’d hoped. This is partially due to what I felt was a hasty ending. I think I wanted more of fight, more desperate need, and to see more… something. I don’t even know what I wanted. I just wanted more.
But there was one thing that set me off on the wrong foot from the first pages of the story, and that’s the reason for Jon going to Skin Deep for a tattoo in the first place. I really took issue with Jon loosing a bet and having to get a tattoo that his buddies decide on. I get it, I do. But I also don’t like it. People get tattoos for various reasons, but I find that I have a hard time separating my feelings for getting them, with Jon’s experience, so it rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, it’s permanent!
What does all of these equal for me? A good book with really good characters, and I very much enjoyed, and the tease of where the next book in the series will go… Nate. Ugh. I need Nate’s story next like I need to breathe. So read this, because you’ll for sure want this book as background for the one to come. I’m sure of it.
3.5 Stars
Pounding Skin is proving to be harder for me to review than I thought possible. Why? Because I really did like it a lot, but I don’t know… So, what did I like?
I enjoyed Jon and Matt. Both characters are unique and have their own personalities that single them out from one another. Jon, with his carefree attitude about sex, his promiscuity, his seemingly very deep rooted reasons for not wanting a relationship… he is who he is and he doesn’t apologize for it. I love that in a person. He’s a really good guy, caring and honest. I also liked Matt and all his vulnerabilities, the way he has this quiet confidence that shines when things are going well for him. He’s got a lot to figure out, ideas to come to terms with, and while he’s doing that with Jon, they made quite a pair.
The sort of dating that they do, because neither man want’s a “relationship”, is free, open, and really steamy. There is a lot of sex. Like, really a lot. Actually, it’s a little bit much for my tastes, but it’s all still very hot. But better were the moments when they each let their guards down, were themselves, and just enjoyed each others company. Because no, it was not all just about the sex. As Jon and Matt get to know each other more, spend more time together, they find that that both like each other very much, and really do enjoy each others company. These moments of fun, laughter, tenderness and caring are what stand out for me the most.
I also really loved Matt’s realization that he’s bisexual, why he’s always denied it, the sort of epiphany that toxic masculinity has been dong him in his whole life, and how it’s not a simple thing for him to overcome and accept. He struggles with it and that struggle felt very real and honest in it’s portrayal.
So I really liked the story. I liked it a lot. But as I mentioned, there is more sex than I felt was necessary. The relationship they have and the feelings that develop hold the story together, but not a much as I’d hoped. This is partially due to what I felt was a hasty ending. I think I wanted more of fight, more desperate need, and to see more… something. I don’t even know what I wanted. I just wanted more.
But there was one thing that set me off on the wrong foot from the first pages of the story, and that’s the reason for Jon going to Skin Deep for a tattoo in the first place. I really took issue with Jon loosing a bet and having to get a tattoo that his buddies decide on. I get it, I do. But I also don’t like it. People get tattoos for various reasons, but I find that I have a hard time separating my feelings for getting them, with Jon’s experience, so it rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, it’s permanent!
What does all of these equal for me? A good book with really good characters, and I very much enjoyed, and the tease of where the next book in the series will go… Nate. Ugh. I need Nate’s story next like I need to breathe. So read this, because you’ll for sure want this book as background for the one to come. I’m sure of it.
July 11, 2017
I really enjoyed Pounding Skin, but I didn’t love it as much as I did Back Piece, the first book in this series. I loved Matt, a young tattoo artist, struggling with his career and his sexuality. I found him to be very authentic—plenty of people his age deal with the same issues, trying to establish themselves in their careers, struggling to make ends meet. He was very introspective and thoughtful about his newly discovered (accepted?) bisexuality. His reaction to Jon, a needle-phobic fighter pilot client, both confused and enlightened him. I loved that he questioned his past behavior and didn’t jump in without giving it a lot of thought. For me, he came across as a really nice, somewhat shy but friendly, young man exploring his sexuality. He was mature, and genuinely cared about the people in his life. Jon, an experienced, slightly older man was really what kept me from loving Pounding Skin. While I felt I really got to know Matt, Jon’s character wasn’t as well developed. This story felt more like Matt’s story, with Jon playing a large, important part, instead of their story. Jon, an unrepentant manwhore with a one and done philosophy, was adamantly opposed to relationships, but I never understood why he felt that way. I never got a satisfactory explanation. His epiphany about his relationship with Matt seemed to come out of nowhere—it didn’t take him long to do a complete about face. Other than his insistence of not being in a relationship, I liked Jon. I would have liked to know him better, but I liked most of what I saw from him. This series has an interesting cast of secondary characters, who fit well into the story. Their interactions are natural and flow seamlessly, not like they were thrown in as an awkward lead-in to the next book. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Lucas’ story, Cover Up.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
June 21, 2017
This starts out with a not cute meet of John getting a tattoo on a bit and ends up a lovely romance about one hero finding his full sexuality and another hero changing his mind about commitment.
I particularly like the exploration of how Matt's bisexuality has been suppressed by him and his willingness to think about this process carefully.
This is a well written, hot, character driven romance that I enjoyed every moment of and can't wait for the next book in the series!
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it!
I particularly like the exploration of how Matt's bisexuality has been suppressed by him and his willingness to think about this process carefully.
This is a well written, hot, character driven romance that I enjoyed every moment of and can't wait for the next book in the series!
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it!
July 11, 2017
My Review:
There are two very different characters in this story.
Jon is a fighter pilot and out and proud. In fact, he meets Matt when he's having to get a tattoo (he lost a bet with his squad-mates) that somewhat symbolizes his manwhore status.
Matt is none of these things. While he loves his job as a tattoo artist, he's barely making ends meet. He just had a menage hookup that left him completely confused because he was into the guy more than the girl...a first for him. His life is unsettled. Then Jon walks into his studio and he's blown away...he really is attracted to men. Because of all that confusion, it takes a while for these two to settle into where they can actually hook-up.
And once they do, they both agree...this is a hook-up and will never be anything more, no matter how often they do it. Matt is inexperienced with men. Jon is willing to act as his playground...it's a mutually beneficial arrangement only. But this is a romance novel...you know how this is going to play out.
I really enjoyed this story. Matt's background kills me just in that I can see that happening. I grew up in rural Texas...I didn't know a soul who was out and proud. Granted, that was a few years ago when it was less acceptable, but I still think that's the norm for this area of the country. I could easily see someone who was gay or bi (or really any of the spectrum) never realizing it because it was never even an option or a consideration.
This book was a great balance of military and tattoo parlor...both settings that I love in my romance novels. It is an extremely hot book. There is a lot of sex, but I never felt like it was over the top or gratuitous. These guys have what they consider to be a purely sexual relationship. That's why they get together. And it helps that all those scenes were really very sexy. These guys have some through-the-roof chemistry and it comes out in every sex scene.
I do have to say though, Matt is really good at convincing himself of certain things...whether they are true or not. Honestly, Jon's pretty good at it too. It cracks me up that neither guy realized that things had deepened for them for a long time...despite the fact that they spent almost every hour not at work...together. Yeah, they're a little clueless, but that's okay. That's where the conflict comes in, so I could forgive them that.
I loved this book so much, and I am even more excited for the next book in the series. Poor Nate...my heart breaks for him.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
There are two very different characters in this story.
Jon is a fighter pilot and out and proud. In fact, he meets Matt when he's having to get a tattoo (he lost a bet with his squad-mates) that somewhat symbolizes his manwhore status.
Matt is none of these things. While he loves his job as a tattoo artist, he's barely making ends meet. He just had a menage hookup that left him completely confused because he was into the guy more than the girl...a first for him. His life is unsettled. Then Jon walks into his studio and he's blown away...he really is attracted to men. Because of all that confusion, it takes a while for these two to settle into where they can actually hook-up.
And once they do, they both agree...this is a hook-up and will never be anything more, no matter how often they do it. Matt is inexperienced with men. Jon is willing to act as his playground...it's a mutually beneficial arrangement only. But this is a romance novel...you know how this is going to play out.
I really enjoyed this story. Matt's background kills me just in that I can see that happening. I grew up in rural Texas...I didn't know a soul who was out and proud. Granted, that was a few years ago when it was less acceptable, but I still think that's the norm for this area of the country. I could easily see someone who was gay or bi (or really any of the spectrum) never realizing it because it was never even an option or a consideration.
This book was a great balance of military and tattoo parlor...both settings that I love in my romance novels. It is an extremely hot book. There is a lot of sex, but I never felt like it was over the top or gratuitous. These guys have what they consider to be a purely sexual relationship. That's why they get together. And it helps that all those scenes were really very sexy. These guys have some through-the-roof chemistry and it comes out in every sex scene.
I do have to say though, Matt is really good at convincing himself of certain things...whether they are true or not. Honestly, Jon's pretty good at it too. It cracks me up that neither guy realized that things had deepened for them for a long time...despite the fact that they spent almost every hour not at work...together. Yeah, they're a little clueless, but that's okay. That's where the conflict comes in, so I could forgive them that.
I loved this book so much, and I am even more excited for the next book in the series. Poor Nate...my heart breaks for him.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
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