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130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2017



“Tell me what you’re thinking.” [...]
“I’m thinking, that I think you’re gorgeous. I think that I want to go to lunch with you again and I want to sit on this lake and spend the day, fishing and getting to know you. I’m thinkin’ that when I saw you over there earlier with your pissed off look, and your jaw set real hard, that I wanted to slide my tongue in your mouth and loosen you up.”[...] “I’m also thinkin’ that I don’t even know if you’re gay and it would just be my luck that you aren’t and you’re about to punch me on my birthday.” [...]
“Jase.” [...] “You’re killing me.” — Jacob “Joker” Riggs & Jason "Jase" Davis
Can we all admit that Jase is just outright adorable? He deserves this protective family. And the love of a man who will treat him like the treasure he is, and worship the ground her walks on. Seeing him even a year on he is so much more than he was in Jody. More outspoken and sure of himself. Comfortable in his wonderfully tatted-up skin. Jase has the thing for bad boys, and don't we all just a little. That combined with his inability to veil his expressions is an amusing combination "Yeah, well... sometimes I'm not nice." He smiles, and I believe that. I think if he wanted to, he could be downright bad. The thought made me shiver, in the best way. In some ways Jase reminds me of Cameron he can see the good in people, sometimes when others can't. They also share an insecurity that binds them. All Jase wants in life is to help people also much like as actually most of the partners in this series. But particularly Cam.
Most of my thoughts for this were really just I love Jase. I found this is the first book in the Kennedy Ink series I got truly emotionally invested in. To the point where tears almost happened. I really didn't matter what Jenny Wood did as long as he was happy I was good. Do you know how long it has been since I got that invested in a character to the detriment of everything else about the story? Years, Kiera Andrews and the Unbreakable Bonds Ladies (Rinda Elliott and Jocelynn Drake) are the only ones who have managed to do it. Actually, with much of the same style characters, men needing a home and a place to be themselves.
Jase's man is Jacob “Joker” Riggs the latest hire at the Kennedy's tattoo parlour. Joker has a past one he doesn't hide from, isn't particularly ashamed of but that will be heavily judged by people. At 18 Joker killed a man and served 6 and a half years for it, the reason for the killing is what messed me up. The Kennedy's know about his past and accept him, providing him a second chance and an opportunity to move on with his life. Joker is the right kind of man for Jase. More than able to be his knight in black armour, family orientated and they both just want someone to belong. Joker is from Colorado he's not used to being in an LGBTQ friendly environment, he is struggling a little to adjust to his new surroundings, with the three loved up couples around him.
Note dump for this because most of my thoughts were seriously, Jase, Jase, Jase. (I'm not kidding about that)
• Jase's tattoos such as they are noted are well suited, one is the one he mentioned in Jody, one is the daisy drawn by Kady and a beautiful ship.
• Papa Bear is the most appropriate name for Jody when it comes to Jase.
• King and Kayse are just a lot of fun. They give their permission for Jase to love who he wants without saying as much quite early.
• "Do you wanna have lunch with me?" — Maybe one of the cutest repeated lines.
• Did anyone else assume that Kennedy Ink was owned by Kayson, Kingsley and Jody? Yeah, it's not. But it has been a few years since I read Kayson and Kingsley, I'm wondering if it is outlined in that.
• I want to punch Jody.... again. Seriously man think first, then speak. Do you realise what you just did?
• Bless you Cameron. Cam just wants his pseudo son happy and if that means him being with Joker so be it. But thank you Cam my for having your priorities straight.
I'm trying to limit my pointing out of editing of errors by Jenny Wood and Kennedy Ink has definitely improved markedly since they were first published. But at least twice in this book, the wrong name is used. Both times it is Jase instead of Jody, contextually the reader is likely to easily understand who is meant but it is still a simple error that should be picked up. Once is in the highest stakes part of the book. As a brief conclusion, there are discussions of homophobia and domestic violence that some readers may find triggering. Not as much or as in-depth as in Jody but they are still there. This is a book that plays well with the concepts of innocence and adulthood. If you liked what you was of Jase in Jody you will likely love this. This builds on what we knew of him already. I really did enjoy it but was mostly swimming in thoughts of I really like Jase.
“You shouldn’t feel like that at all! You’ve been our family for a year and a half. Work that shit out, right now!” He yelled. He’s fierce when he wants to be, and I loved that about him. — Jason "Jase" Davis about Cameron Rydell
A representative gif: