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Ink #2
Permanent Ink
It's been a year since Cassie Carrington moved to New York to find herself, but now she's back in Seattle and knows exactly what she wants: a job in fashion and devastatingly handsome Blake Pearson.
After a year of sending letters to each other, Cassie and Blake are ready to take the next step in their relationship and finally date in real life. But when Cassie gets offered her dream job at Cavloretta Couture, she once again has to work with Adrian Cavallero, the new CEO, which could make things very awkward given their turbulent past.
Can Blake and Cassie's relationship withstand jealousy, disappointment, ghosts from the past, and heightened expectations? Or will Cassie discover that even permanent ink bleeds sometimes?
After a year of sending letters to each other, Cassie and Blake are ready to take the next step in their relationship and finally date in real life. But when Cassie gets offered her dream job at Cavloretta Couture, she once again has to work with Adrian Cavallero, the new CEO, which could make things very awkward given their turbulent past.
Can Blake and Cassie's relationship withstand jealousy, disappointment, ghosts from the past, and heightened expectations? Or will Cassie discover that even permanent ink bleeds sometimes?
411 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2021
5 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
E.L. Lewis
9 books263 followersE.L. Lewis has always been a die-hard romantic. Born in Ukraine and raised in Canada, she grew up devouring love stories in every form she could find—and now she writes her own. A multi-genre romance author, she brings readers tales filled with sugar, spice, and heart, ranging from dangerous mafia romances to laugh-out-loud rom-coms. Between the pages of her books, readers will find first loves, last loves, and the epic journeys in between.
Her heroines are complex, confident, and unforgettable—and her love interests? The kind who would walk straight into hell if it meant winning their girl’s heart.
When she isn’t dreaming up new characters and plots, E.L. is living her own happily ever after in Orange County with her husband and their pup. She spends her days listening to Taylor Swift, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, and showing up to airports far earlier than necessary.
Her heroines are complex, confident, and unforgettable—and her love interests? The kind who would walk straight into hell if it meant winning their girl’s heart.
When she isn’t dreaming up new characters and plots, E.L. is living her own happily ever after in Orange County with her husband and their pup. She spends her days listening to Taylor Swift, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, and showing up to airports far earlier than necessary.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 13, 2021
Well, she did it again. E.L. Lewis made me care for a character that I normally wouldn’t be drawn to in any other book. And not only did she make me root for her, I cried when her heart broke. I just finished Lewis’ second in the Ink Series Duet, Permanent Ink, and my cockles have been warmed. If anyone doesn’t understand this, I’m speaking about the cockles of my heart. Get your mind out of the gutter! Or keep it there, and join me in my usual bacchanalian fete that normal people would call Tuesday night.
What I’d really like to talk about though is Vampire Weekend. I know, all of you are like, ‘wait..what?’ Rae must have suffered a head injury, because what does Vampire Weekend have to do with Permanent Ink? Well friends, a few weeks ago I was listening to the Ted Lasso soundtrack, because that’s how I roll. It features a song from Vampire Weekend and I thought, ‘I haven’t listened to them in a while’. Fast forward to a week-long venture down a rabbit hole from Campus to Horchata. I suddenly felt hella old upon the realization that their first album came out 13 years ago. Yup, everyone take a breath. For those of you that are something crazy like 18 years old, the world was a different place in the ‘before times’, where music streaming services weren’t really a ‘thing’. You had to purchase a whole album! Clutch your pearls, Mildred!
Anywho, I bring up Vampire Weekend, because we are catching up with Cassie Carrington as she returns to Seattle and begins an in person relationship with her love interest from Company Ink, Blake Pearson. Blake. {Cue the music: “Blaaaakees Got A New Face!”}. Yes, all I could hear was ‘Blakes Got A New Face” by Vampire Weekend throughout most of this book. So much so that I started picturing Blake as the lead singer of VW, Ezra Koenig. I’m sure both know how to rock a deck shoe and make ‘unintentionally smug’ exceedingly hot. Interestingly, I’m about to explain why Blake’s Got A New Face is quite apropos for the Blake Pearson we encounter in this book.
A Little Bit of the Plot.
We meet up with Cassie as she has completed her MFA while living in NYC with her cousin Vanessa. Vanessa is undergoing therapy to rehabilitate from medical issues brought on by the car accident presented in flashback in book one. A year has elapsed between books. For that entire year, Blake and Cassie have decided to take their relationship very slow, and by slow, we mean glacial. The pair do not call or text, they communicate entirely by letter. Upon returning home, Cassie is also offered a dream position as Creative Director at Cavloretta Couture, headed up by her very sexy and very newly single ex-Adrian. The relationship with Blake moves at stutter stops, for stretches running smoothly and other times finding Cassie and Blake at crossroads. Both find that they are not what the other expected - do opposites really attract? When more characters from the past reemerge with the possibility to come between them, will Cassie and Blake be able to meet in the middle?
The Compliment Sandwich!
The Top Bun (The Pro)
Cassandra (Cassie) F&^%ing Carrington
I will reiterate the claim from my previous review - Twenty Something Fashionista Socialites are not my cup of tea; Cassie Carrington however, is so damn likable. Throughout the book, many other characters extol upon her beauty, intelligence, and wit. She is 100% all of those. She’s clever and has witty repartee with all of the other characters. She’s also a boss ass bitch.
Interestingly, I never doubted that Cassie would succeed at her job. We are offered a number of different glimpses of Cassandra’s confidence and drive throughout both books, it’s not beyond the realm of imagination that she would perform well in an industry that she enjoyed.
I also give Lewis massive kudos for not pitting Cassie between both Adrian and Blake throughout the book. The agro ‘dick meausring’ instances displayed in the book are not for Cassie’s benefit; at times, she’s simply a bystander. In fact, in two particular situations, she calls Blake out for his overly aggressive advances in front of Adrian. Like when your cat pees on something to claim it as theirs - not real charming. Cassie, unfortunately, seems to befall one awkward situation after the next, forcing an upsetting altercation at one point.
Refreshingly, we aren’t subjected to Cassie pining over Adrian while with Blake. What plays out is an enviable working friendship with her ex. You never doubt that Cassie will be faithful to Blake. Lewis has built enough trust with the reader to broadcast quite loudly that infidelity is not something that Cassie can tolerate.
As the book progresses, Blakes personality becomes more apparent, and Cassie comes to the realization that they are different but complementary. At no point, however, does Cassie compare Blake to Adrian. Lewis simply presents situations where the reader can interpret this themselves. I’m going to refrain from saying much more as I would rather the plot remain unspoiled; however, Cassie’s actions are never questionable. Upon reaching the denouement, one can only hope that they themselves would react in the same way.
The Meat (The Con)
I can’t spoil anything so I’m just going to say that when Cassie has her ‘come to Jesus’ moment, I wish we had more build up. We’ve lived with her for almost three years at this point, and I wanted to experience the excitement and realization with her a little more. I think she deserved just some introspection before the lightening strike. Like when listening to Vampire Weekend's self titled first album, you can’t just go to Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa..you have to listen to Mansford Roof and Oxford Comma first - ease into it. And truly, if you have to ask, “who gives a fuck about an Oxford Comma”, then you haven’t found the joy that they truly bring to one’s life.
The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
There are so many ways I want to go with this. If you want my heartfelt bottom bun and want to be spoiled, hit me up and I will unload some truths. For the purposes of keeping this spoiler free, I’m going to talk about Vanessa a bit. While she plays a decent sized role in the first book, she’s up front in this book. While working towards a healthy recovery from her accident, she’s come into her own in this book. Truth be told, I thought she was heading down a completely different path in relation to the hero than what actually occurs and I was kind of fine with that. I may have peeked ahead to see if my suspicions were correct - they weren't, but I would have been completely content with my imagined narrative for Vanessa.
As she is completely opposite from Cassie, and often has to step into the role as the adult. She, at times, forces Cassie to assume a level of maturity that she may not be willing to accept, but is essential for her character’s development.
Fascinatingly, by the end of the book, Cassie has switched roles with Nessie. She extols some much needed wisdom on Vanessa and we as the reader are reminded that Cassie is actually the younger of the two, yet spouts yoda like truths as if she were the qualified mature adult.
Like Cassie, you want Vanessa to find her Shrek, she deserves it. Her character progression from book one is so endearing that you can’t not root for her. She does meet her Shrek, and I wish we had a bit more time with them as a couple. It’s akin to seeing someone becoming whole again and developing into a complete person. Like how Vampire Weekends, Father of the Bride, displays a maturity and restraint culminating from experimentation and self-reflection. (I’m taking this metaphor across the finish line, my friends)
E.L: you have not only made me root for a character that I would normally stay clear of and forced me into enjoying a love triangle series. While full of drama, it’s not melodramatic soap opera tripe. Cassie’s choice is very evident by the end of the book without disparaging any character. While at times I was frustrated, never did I hate any characters for their actions. I have many notes in my kindle that just read “CASSIE!”, but I can’t say that I necessarily would make a different choice. Lastly, thank you for kicking up the spiciness factor - I may have chuckled out loud at the “Ten out of ten on the eggplant scale”. Well done.
And no matter what they say, Cassie, Subway is not fast food - and it is delicious. Back off, haters.
If you want to read more reviews or learn about the podcast visit our website Chick Lit Book Club Podcast
What I’d really like to talk about though is Vampire Weekend. I know, all of you are like, ‘wait..what?’ Rae must have suffered a head injury, because what does Vampire Weekend have to do with Permanent Ink? Well friends, a few weeks ago I was listening to the Ted Lasso soundtrack, because that’s how I roll. It features a song from Vampire Weekend and I thought, ‘I haven’t listened to them in a while’. Fast forward to a week-long venture down a rabbit hole from Campus to Horchata. I suddenly felt hella old upon the realization that their first album came out 13 years ago. Yup, everyone take a breath. For those of you that are something crazy like 18 years old, the world was a different place in the ‘before times’, where music streaming services weren’t really a ‘thing’. You had to purchase a whole album! Clutch your pearls, Mildred!
Anywho, I bring up Vampire Weekend, because we are catching up with Cassie Carrington as she returns to Seattle and begins an in person relationship with her love interest from Company Ink, Blake Pearson. Blake. {Cue the music: “Blaaaakees Got A New Face!”}. Yes, all I could hear was ‘Blakes Got A New Face” by Vampire Weekend throughout most of this book. So much so that I started picturing Blake as the lead singer of VW, Ezra Koenig. I’m sure both know how to rock a deck shoe and make ‘unintentionally smug’ exceedingly hot. Interestingly, I’m about to explain why Blake’s Got A New Face is quite apropos for the Blake Pearson we encounter in this book.
A Little Bit of the Plot.
We meet up with Cassie as she has completed her MFA while living in NYC with her cousin Vanessa. Vanessa is undergoing therapy to rehabilitate from medical issues brought on by the car accident presented in flashback in book one. A year has elapsed between books. For that entire year, Blake and Cassie have decided to take their relationship very slow, and by slow, we mean glacial. The pair do not call or text, they communicate entirely by letter. Upon returning home, Cassie is also offered a dream position as Creative Director at Cavloretta Couture, headed up by her very sexy and very newly single ex-Adrian. The relationship with Blake moves at stutter stops, for stretches running smoothly and other times finding Cassie and Blake at crossroads. Both find that they are not what the other expected - do opposites really attract? When more characters from the past reemerge with the possibility to come between them, will Cassie and Blake be able to meet in the middle?
The Compliment Sandwich!
The Top Bun (The Pro)
Cassandra (Cassie) F&^%ing Carrington
I will reiterate the claim from my previous review - Twenty Something Fashionista Socialites are not my cup of tea; Cassie Carrington however, is so damn likable. Throughout the book, many other characters extol upon her beauty, intelligence, and wit. She is 100% all of those. She’s clever and has witty repartee with all of the other characters. She’s also a boss ass bitch.
“Really? You’re going to go there?...How are you qualified to be a managing partner? Ness told me that the average age for partners is fifty-fucking-two years old, okay? You can be upset with me for springing this on you but do not try and undermine my qualifications especially when your position is courtesy of your father...And yes, perhaps I lack in the experience department a little bit, but I am confident I can do this job, and I can do it well.”
Interestingly, I never doubted that Cassie would succeed at her job. We are offered a number of different glimpses of Cassandra’s confidence and drive throughout both books, it’s not beyond the realm of imagination that she would perform well in an industry that she enjoyed.
I also give Lewis massive kudos for not pitting Cassie between both Adrian and Blake throughout the book. The agro ‘dick meausring’ instances displayed in the book are not for Cassie’s benefit; at times, she’s simply a bystander. In fact, in two particular situations, she calls Blake out for his overly aggressive advances in front of Adrian. Like when your cat pees on something to claim it as theirs - not real charming. Cassie, unfortunately, seems to befall one awkward situation after the next, forcing an upsetting altercation at one point.
Refreshingly, we aren’t subjected to Cassie pining over Adrian while with Blake. What plays out is an enviable working friendship with her ex. You never doubt that Cassie will be faithful to Blake. Lewis has built enough trust with the reader to broadcast quite loudly that infidelity is not something that Cassie can tolerate.
“You what?” I ask quietly, tilting my head. “You don’t trust me? What do you think is going to happen? I’m with you, Blake. You”...
“Trust is earned, Cassandra,” Blake says, his cold eyes flickering around my face.
“Are you saying that you don’t trust me?...I have never, in my entire life been unfaithful, and I don’t plan to be.”
“I trust you. I do,” Blake says, closing his eyes. “I just don’t trust Adrian.”
“You don’t have to trust Adrian, all you have to is trust me, “ I say.
As the book progresses, Blakes personality becomes more apparent, and Cassie comes to the realization that they are different but complementary. At no point, however, does Cassie compare Blake to Adrian. Lewis simply presents situations where the reader can interpret this themselves. I’m going to refrain from saying much more as I would rather the plot remain unspoiled; however, Cassie’s actions are never questionable. Upon reaching the denouement, one can only hope that they themselves would react in the same way.
The Meat (The Con)
I can’t spoil anything so I’m just going to say that when Cassie has her ‘come to Jesus’ moment, I wish we had more build up. We’ve lived with her for almost three years at this point, and I wanted to experience the excitement and realization with her a little more. I think she deserved just some introspection before the lightening strike. Like when listening to Vampire Weekend's self titled first album, you can’t just go to Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa..you have to listen to Mansford Roof and Oxford Comma first - ease into it. And truly, if you have to ask, “who gives a fuck about an Oxford Comma”, then you haven’t found the joy that they truly bring to one’s life.
The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
There are so many ways I want to go with this. If you want my heartfelt bottom bun and want to be spoiled, hit me up and I will unload some truths. For the purposes of keeping this spoiler free, I’m going to talk about Vanessa a bit. While she plays a decent sized role in the first book, she’s up front in this book. While working towards a healthy recovery from her accident, she’s come into her own in this book. Truth be told, I thought she was heading down a completely different path in relation to the hero than what actually occurs and I was kind of fine with that. I may have peeked ahead to see if my suspicions were correct - they weren't, but I would have been completely content with my imagined narrative for Vanessa.
As she is completely opposite from Cassie, and often has to step into the role as the adult. She, at times, forces Cassie to assume a level of maturity that she may not be willing to accept, but is essential for her character’s development.
“Cassandra Michelle Carrington,” Ness states with a menacing tone. “Put together your damn bed. You can’t sleep on just a mattress. This isn’t a frat house.”
“I wish it was! It’d be so fun!” I whimper, burrowing my face into the hardwood floors.”Do you even know what the word means, Ness? Fun? You’re killing my vibe! Bitch don't kill my vibe! Bitch don’t kill my vibe!”
Vanessa grabs hold of my ankle and begins to drag me across our living room, my belly screeching along the floor “Ow!” I shriek. “You’re giving me carpet burn!”
“The floors are freaking wood, Cassie!” Ness yells.
Fascinatingly, by the end of the book, Cassie has switched roles with Nessie. She extols some much needed wisdom on Vanessa and we as the reader are reminded that Cassie is actually the younger of the two, yet spouts yoda like truths as if she were the qualified mature adult.
“You’re going to find your Prince Charming one day, believe me.”
“I don’t even need a Prince Charming,” Ness sniffles. “I’d settle for a Shrek.”
I snort. She’s being serious.
“Oh God, well, your Shrek is out there. Maybe just you know,” I let out a chuckle, “stuck in a swamp or something.”
Like Cassie, you want Vanessa to find her Shrek, she deserves it. Her character progression from book one is so endearing that you can’t not root for her. She does meet her Shrek, and I wish we had a bit more time with them as a couple. It’s akin to seeing someone becoming whole again and developing into a complete person. Like how Vampire Weekends, Father of the Bride, displays a maturity and restraint culminating from experimentation and self-reflection. (I’m taking this metaphor across the finish line, my friends)
E.L: you have not only made me root for a character that I would normally stay clear of and forced me into enjoying a love triangle series. While full of drama, it’s not melodramatic soap opera tripe. Cassie’s choice is very evident by the end of the book without disparaging any character. While at times I was frustrated, never did I hate any characters for their actions. I have many notes in my kindle that just read “CASSIE!”, but I can’t say that I necessarily would make a different choice. Lastly, thank you for kicking up the spiciness factor - I may have chuckled out loud at the “Ten out of ten on the eggplant scale”. Well done.
And no matter what they say, Cassie, Subway is not fast food - and it is delicious. Back off, haters.
If you want to read more reviews or learn about the podcast visit our website Chick Lit Book Club Podcast
October 2, 2021
Permanent Ink is the sequel to E.L. Lewis's hilariously heart-warming story, Company Ink. The story picks up a year later with an older, wiser Cassie who's spent some time in New York with her cousin, Ness. While there, she and Blake wrote letters back and forth to each other, but are eager to be in the same city once again. When she returns, Cassie and Blake immediately pick up where they left off. There's just one problem: Cassie's offered her dream job with Cavloretta Couture, Adrian's family business, which he is now the CEO of. Torn between taking the job and keeping her distance from Adrian as she and Blake officially begin dating, Cassie finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place. When she accepts the job offer with Adrian's company, her new relationship with Blake is tested. And she's confronted with the reality that the Cassie who left Seattle a year ago might not be the same Cassie who's returned.
This well-written, charming sequel is a satisfying end to Cassie's journey. E.L. Lewis never disappoints!
This well-written, charming sequel is a satisfying end to Cassie's journey. E.L. Lewis never disappoints!
December 19, 2021
The ink series
Company ink: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5⭐️
Permanent ink: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 /5⭐️
Omg I loved this series so much. Miss author never fails to disappoint. She knows how to make you fall in love with every character and how to draw you in from the very beginning. This series will have you jumping ships probably every chapter? Not that much but you will change ships quite a few time. Yes, it is a love triangle but You’ll love it. Yet at the end, who Cassie ends up with is perfect (at least for me). The characters are funny, relatable, and I don’t think there’s one you’ll hate.
Blake and Adrian are both perfect. LITERALLY. They obviously have their flaws but they both pushed Cassie so much and I love that. Cassie was strong, independent, and a MC to admire.
You won’t regret reading the ink series 😉
Company ink: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5⭐️
Permanent ink: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 /5⭐️
Omg I loved this series so much. Miss author never fails to disappoint. She knows how to make you fall in love with every character and how to draw you in from the very beginning. This series will have you jumping ships probably every chapter? Not that much but you will change ships quite a few time. Yes, it is a love triangle but You’ll love it. Yet at the end, who Cassie ends up with is perfect (at least for me). The characters are funny, relatable, and I don’t think there’s one you’ll hate.
Blake and Adrian are both perfect. LITERALLY. They obviously have their flaws but they both pushed Cassie so much and I love that. Cassie was strong, independent, and a MC to admire.
You won’t regret reading the ink series 😉
February 3, 2022
this is so i love it. it embodies how theres just some pple who arent right for u and how sometimes the opposite changes you too much bc they like the idea of you but expect u to change to what they want overtime. they think that the free and fun girl is going to change overtime as they get older and try to confine them into what they think is best.
October 1, 2024
I really wanted to like this one because I LOVED the first one. It just fell flat for me.
I liked the outcome because I felt like it was what needed to happen but it took so long to get there. When it finally happened, it felt so incredibly rushed. I wanted to enjoy it happening much more than I did but I wasn’t able to.
I liked the outcome because I felt like it was what needed to happen but it took so long to get there. When it finally happened, it felt so incredibly rushed. I wanted to enjoy it happening much more than I did but I wasn’t able to.
February 3, 2025
Couldn't finish because I wasn't into the drama between the characters
No spice
Trust issues
No spice
Trust issues
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews