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Dublin Ink #1
Dublin Ink
He can't give in.
Grumpy bad boy tattoo artist, Conor Mac Haol, doesn’t trust anyone. Least of all the new juvie apprenticing at his beloved Dublin Ink as part of her probation.
She is way too pretty and way, way too young.
Coming from a broken home, Aurnia has had to grow up faster than most girls. She doesn’t need anyone telling her what to do.
Least of all Conor, her new (very hot, very muscled, very tattooed and very, very rude) boss who obviously hates her.
But Aurnia’s troubles reminds Conor too much of his dark past. He becomes obsessed with keeping her safe. Keeping her protected.
Even from him.
Especially from him.
Soon sparks and insults turn into broken rules and forbidden moments—until one final mistake seals their fate.
Grumpy bad boy tattoo artist, Conor Mac Haol, doesn’t trust anyone. Least of all the new juvie apprenticing at his beloved Dublin Ink as part of her probation.
She is way too pretty and way, way too young.
Coming from a broken home, Aurnia has had to grow up faster than most girls. She doesn’t need anyone telling her what to do.
Least of all Conor, her new (very hot, very muscled, very tattooed and very, very rude) boss who obviously hates her.
But Aurnia’s troubles reminds Conor too much of his dark past. He becomes obsessed with keeping her safe. Keeping her protected.
Even from him.
Especially from him.
Soon sparks and insults turn into broken rules and forbidden moments—until one final mistake seals their fate.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2022
2848 people are currently reading
7524 people want to read
About the author
Sienna Blake
61 books1,280 followersHUNTING PRETTY is LIVE!
Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited:
▶ https://readerlinks.com/l/4416754
Sienna Blake is a dirty girl, an Amazon Top 20 wordspinner of smexy love stories & a USA Today Bestselling Author.
She lives in Dublin, Ireland, where she enjoys reading, keeping fit and adding to her personal harem of Irish hotties ;)
Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited:
▶ https://readerlinks.com/l/4416754
Sienna Blake is a dirty girl, an Amazon Top 20 wordspinner of smexy love stories & a USA Today Bestselling Author.
She lives in Dublin, Ireland, where she enjoys reading, keeping fit and adding to her personal harem of Irish hotties ;)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
dnf
May 12, 2022DNF@52% Dublin Ink was my first book by this author and I'm not sure if it was the wrong one to start with, but I didn't like it at all. For starters it's a really depressing story about a 17-year-old young woman desperate for a family who finds herself in a tough situation. She's foolish at times but it's understandable. Now the author describes Conor as grumpy, but I didn't feel it. To me he is a miserable drunk who is mean and treats everyone around him like crap, even those who I think are supposed to be his friends. His business is failing and yet he even treats customers like crap yelling at them to get out. I also found the story so far boring and repetitive.
July 11, 2022
This wasn’t anything like I thought it was going to be the initial blurb did tick a whole lot of my boxes hot grumpy older tattooist meets Younger hellion from the wrong side of the tracks it’s enemies to lovers which I do like. I think my issue is that from the description I was expecting this to be much lighter in its tone but what I actually got was a complete angsty toxic mess.
I did enjoy certain parts of it and it was well written though I did find the overly descriptive inner monologue threw me off at times. But it also just felt quite dark and gloomy and there was so much inner strife and depressing scenarios. I wasn’t bothered by the age-gap and I actually found Aurnia to be a lot older than her chronological age her life had done a real number on her hence she seemed so much older than her actual years.
The romance was very slow-burn and all sorts of toxic Connor is an absolute mess through the majority of this book and his life hasn’t been a bed of roses either. He wants Aurnia for his own but knows that he shouldn’t and pushing her away through any means possible seems the only logical course forward in his messed-up head. Overall i found this was just a bit too much in the angst department for me I also slightly struggled with the writing style hence I won’t be continuing with this series.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/63435390
December 29, 2022
I stumbled upon this book on TikTok and the extract I read was quite interesting and steamy. So I ended up reading Dublin Ink. I'm disappointed, that's the least I could say... I disliked the age-gap between the main characters. Conor wasn't likeable at all, he had anger management issues, he was an alcoholic and he had a lot of emotional baggage. He reminded me of Dr.House...only the cane was missing and the pill addiction. Aurnia was a kid...
October 14, 2022
It doesn’t feel possible that I read the same book every one else did. The few reviews I read painted this as a quirky grumpy/sunshine romance with a little age gap that takes place at a tattoo parlor. What I read was how a 17 year old girl in desperate need of help who wanted a family more than anything started working at a tattoo parlor. This job was part of a parole deal & her boss/mentor who was 31 & knew it was wrong, but couldn’t seem to keep his gross grubby hands off her. Conor was cruel, selfish, immature & had zero self control. The saddest part of this book was the 17 year old was actually more mature then he was. There is a quote in which Aurnia tells Connor “You’re not just there in the ashes. You love the ashes. You feel safe in the ashes. You never want to leave those lovely fucking ashes”. This quote just about sums up the entire book. Connor loves being miserable & he wants to drag everyone else down with him. He is cruel to Aurnia, he pushes away his friends, he intentionally sabotages his own business- all for the express purpose of being miserable! Honestly, I don’t even think he really loved Aurnia; I think he knew their relationship was wrong, he knew it brought up & reminded him of his old wounds, & he wanted to revel in his own depression.
Clearly this is the case as the majority of the book is Connor’s tragic inner monologue. However, it’s hard to sympathize with someone who admittedly knows better. He knew his pedophilia relationship was wrong. He knew that Aurnia deserved better. Which was obvious by the way he fought with himself the entire book. THAT is what made made this book so uncomfortable, what made their relationship WRONG! He felt guilty! You don’t feel guilt when you haven’t done anything wrong (mostly). Therefore, I found myself just plain annoyed by this book. It wasn’t romantic, because as a 31 year old man- If you know better- than maybe just don’t!! Conor is one of the worst MC’s I’ve ever had the misfortune to read.
This book has zero redeeming qualities. Just a pedophile & a sad 17 year old who really only needed a safe space & a friend.
I am a voracious reader & I’ve read tons of age gaps romances before this one & I’m sure I’ll read more. Rarely do I feel the need to label such books as a Lolita level gross. However, this book broke every single possible rule- under 18- check, position of power-check, dependent on goodwill for basic necessities- check, abusive- check…
Honestly, I could probably go on indefinitely about how gross this is, but I think you get the picture. I’ve read 1,500 year age gaps that didn’t give this much ick!
Clearly this is the case as the majority of the book is Connor’s tragic inner monologue. However, it’s hard to sympathize with someone who admittedly knows better. He knew his pedophilia relationship was wrong. He knew that Aurnia deserved better. Which was obvious by the way he fought with himself the entire book. THAT is what made made this book so uncomfortable, what made their relationship WRONG! He felt guilty! You don’t feel guilt when you haven’t done anything wrong (mostly). Therefore, I found myself just plain annoyed by this book. It wasn’t romantic, because as a 31 year old man- If you know better- than maybe just don’t!! Conor is one of the worst MC’s I’ve ever had the misfortune to read.
This book has zero redeeming qualities. Just a pedophile & a sad 17 year old who really only needed a safe space & a friend.
I am a voracious reader & I’ve read tons of age gaps romances before this one & I’m sure I’ll read more. Rarely do I feel the need to label such books as a Lolita level gross. However, this book broke every single possible rule- under 18- check, position of power-check, dependent on goodwill for basic necessities- check, abusive- check…
Honestly, I could probably go on indefinitely about how gross this is, but I think you get the picture. I’ve read 1,500 year age gaps that didn’t give this much ick!
May 4, 2022
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: taboo, age-gap
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Dublin Ink is a beautiful story that was heart wrenching at points, but ends up leaving you with all the feels. Aurnia is a girl who is living her life on the edge. One bad decision away from heading down the wrong path forever. Her DJO gets her a job at Dublin Ink where she and her grumpy boss, Conor go head to head over and over again. Conor has his own tortured past and Aurnia reminds him too much of himself at that age which complicates their already strained relationship because of his intense attraction to her despite being almost half his age. In attempt to "save" her, he pushes her away, but the more he pushes, the more she pushes back certain she can find her happiness with him.
Dublin Ink really was a fantastic read. The storyline was great and moved quickly. I was afraid it was going to be too similar to Irish Kiss (older DJO with younger girl) when I first started reading it, but it had quite a different feel. I absolutely love Conor. Despite the predictable "I'm going to save you from myself" course of thought, Conor really did have valid concerns for Aurnia's future. He is super protective. Aurnia just couldn't catch a break in her young life, but it made her super strong and resilient. You grow to really love these characters and truly want them to find happiness after a lifetime of hurt. Can't wait to read the next one in the series!
Dublin Ink is the first book in the Dublin Ink series by Sienna Blake and can be read as a standalone. It is told in first person, from dual perspective.
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes be considered spoilers
Trope: taboo, age-gap
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Dublin Ink is a beautiful story that was heart wrenching at points, but ends up leaving you with all the feels. Aurnia is a girl who is living her life on the edge. One bad decision away from heading down the wrong path forever. Her DJO gets her a job at Dublin Ink where she and her grumpy boss, Conor go head to head over and over again. Conor has his own tortured past and Aurnia reminds him too much of himself at that age which complicates their already strained relationship because of his intense attraction to her despite being almost half his age. In attempt to "save" her, he pushes her away, but the more he pushes, the more she pushes back certain she can find her happiness with him.
Dublin Ink really was a fantastic read. The storyline was great and moved quickly. I was afraid it was going to be too similar to Irish Kiss (older DJO with younger girl) when I first started reading it, but it had quite a different feel. I absolutely love Conor. Despite the predictable "I'm going to save you from myself" course of thought, Conor really did have valid concerns for Aurnia's future. He is super protective. Aurnia just couldn't catch a break in her young life, but it made her super strong and resilient. You grow to really love these characters and truly want them to find happiness after a lifetime of hurt. Can't wait to read the next one in the series!
Dublin Ink is the first book in the Dublin Ink series by Sienna Blake and can be read as a standalone. It is told in first person, from dual perspective.
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes be considered spoilers
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January 23, 2023dnf @ 10%
bestie its not an age-gap when she’s 17 its pedophilia
bestie its not an age-gap when she’s 17 its pedophilia
May 5, 2022
This book was everything I wanted it to be and I was just so engaged in this story. I could not put this one down, it just grabbed me and kept me fascinated until I finished reading. This book was just such a lovely reading experience for me, and I enjoyed it, a lot.
I adore tattoos so I was just so happy reading about how many scenes about tattoos there was in this book, that was just so lovely to me.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest opinion
I adore tattoos so I was just so happy reading about how many scenes about tattoos there was in this book, that was just so lovely to me.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest opinion
April 1, 2022
Feels 3
Storyline 4.5
Steam 4.5
Overall Rating 4.5
Kindle eArc provided by Author
Reviewed by Ladyballs
This is a story about a troubled tattoo artist who self sabotages himself at every turn and a young juvenile whose life is less than stellar. Conor has had a rough life as a juvenile in the system. Choices made backfired and his life is going nowhere. A twist of fate brings his dark secrets to his doorstep by Aurnia. Maybe that is why he is drawn to Aurnia so much. Her drug addict father has her living in a crack trailer that all sort of low lives are in and out of daily. She never feels safe and has lived the life of an adult at seventeen. The things she has had to endure at a very young age has jaded her and made her grow up very quickly. You can feel her hopelessness at times and it broke my heart.
When these two collide there are instant fireworks. Conor fights his attraction for Aurnia not just because of her age but for history repeating itself. But Aurnia has her sites set on him and she won't give up. Their banter had me laughing out loud more then once and there were times my heart was ripped out for Aurnia. This author gave me all the feels for these characters and that is what kept me hooked from the first page until the last. Loved watching this love story unfold!
Storyline 4.5
Steam 4.5
Overall Rating 4.5
Kindle eArc provided by Author
Reviewed by Ladyballs
This is a story about a troubled tattoo artist who self sabotages himself at every turn and a young juvenile whose life is less than stellar. Conor has had a rough life as a juvenile in the system. Choices made backfired and his life is going nowhere. A twist of fate brings his dark secrets to his doorstep by Aurnia. Maybe that is why he is drawn to Aurnia so much. Her drug addict father has her living in a crack trailer that all sort of low lives are in and out of daily. She never feels safe and has lived the life of an adult at seventeen. The things she has had to endure at a very young age has jaded her and made her grow up very quickly. You can feel her hopelessness at times and it broke my heart.
When these two collide there are instant fireworks. Conor fights his attraction for Aurnia not just because of her age but for history repeating itself. But Aurnia has her sites set on him and she won't give up. Their banter had me laughing out loud more then once and there were times my heart was ripped out for Aurnia. This author gave me all the feels for these characters and that is what kept me hooked from the first page until the last. Loved watching this love story unfold!
May 13, 2022
Aurnia is a 17 year old who has had to take care of herself all her life. She is street savvy and tough, but is now on parole and instructed to intern at Dublin Ink, a run down tattoo parlor in a bad part of town. Dublin Ink is run by Conor, a depressed, broken down artist almost twice her age and as happy to have her there as a plague. His two friends Rian and Mason work with him and they are a sort of mismatched family, which is the one thing Aurnia has always wanted. A family of her own who love her and she can love back.
The tension between Aurnia and Conor is palpable and Conor fights against it tooth and nail! It was laden with both anger and sexual currents that neither could deny. For a lot of the book I didn't like Conor very much. Aurnia sees him for who he is but he thinks himself broken beyond redemption. He treats everyone so terribly that I wanted them to tell him off, but they were his family and family doesn't give up on family, blood or not.
The ending of the book was the best and Conor redeemed himself in such a way that I wanted to cheer like I did at the end of An Officer and a Gentleman! This book is the best!
The tension between Aurnia and Conor is palpable and Conor fights against it tooth and nail! It was laden with both anger and sexual currents that neither could deny. For a lot of the book I didn't like Conor very much. Aurnia sees him for who he is but he thinks himself broken beyond redemption. He treats everyone so terribly that I wanted them to tell him off, but they were his family and family doesn't give up on family, blood or not.
The ending of the book was the best and Conor redeemed himself in such a way that I wanted to cheer like I did at the end of An Officer and a Gentleman! This book is the best!
May 10, 2022
Sienna Blake is a new to me author, and I found her writing style to be captivating that did my emotions in. See, Conor is a hero who has gone through the fire in life, and it's really done a number on him. He's very good at self sabotaging himself, and while he was quite the cranky pants that set me off a time or two, I still wanted to give him a big hug. Aurnia has been assigned to his tattoo shop as part of her probation, and he wasn't happy about it. Aurnia hasn't had a pretty life at all either, and has been taking care of herself when she should have been protected as she grew up. Conor isn't a people person, and it seemed like he was meaner to Aurnia than most, but she reminded him of things he was doing his best to forget, not to mention, he wanted to protect her from him as well. There's an age gap in this story, and while I don't have problems with that, I have to say that I wasn't really a fan of this one but it's a me thing, so I won't be giving the reasoning behind it. Despite that fact, it was still written well so I didn't put it down to walk away which is why at the end of the day, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!
March 22, 2022
Right from the start I was pulled into this story, it brought me to tears at some points. I can’t imagine growing up like Aurnia but I could relate to the feeling of wanting to be something more. I also understood when she felt defeated after hitting so many road blocks. And then we have Conor who was in self destruct mode fighting with himself all the way to the end. They both needed each other to be whole, but needed to find themselves first to come out the other side.
I will say this book is not for you if you can’t handle the darker side to life. But if you can look at the message in Siennas writing then you will love it.
I will say this book is not for you if you can’t handle the darker side to life. But if you can look at the message in Siennas writing then you will love it.
March 23, 2022
I received this as an ARC
OMG I loved it! I read the book in about three hours, I couldn't put it down. Aurnia and Conor's story kept me turning the page until I was left with no more. The back and forth between these two is great. I love the age gap novels as it shows that age is just a number and love conquers all. The story shows that you can make the best out of a crappy situation and family doesn't have to be blood related. Irish Kiss was one of my favorite books and I have read it multiple times, so it was great that Diarmuid got to make an appearance in Dublin Ink. I cant wait to read the second one.
OMG I loved it! I read the book in about three hours, I couldn't put it down. Aurnia and Conor's story kept me turning the page until I was left with no more. The back and forth between these two is great. I love the age gap novels as it shows that age is just a number and love conquers all. The story shows that you can make the best out of a crappy situation and family doesn't have to be blood related. Irish Kiss was one of my favorite books and I have read it multiple times, so it was great that Diarmuid got to make an appearance in Dublin Ink. I cant wait to read the second one.
August 3, 2025
I was disappointed overall. I really enjoyed Aurnia’s character, but Corner came across as toxic, with serious anger issues and possibly alcohol problems. The story had strong potential, but the male main character just didn’t hold up.
March 23, 2022
Deliciously dark, age-gap romance. I loved this story, about ‘broken’ tattoo artist, Conor & juvenile delinquent, Aurnia. Sienna Blake has crafted a quite remarkable story, in many ways, of how these two misfits become each other’s salvation. The plot twists and turns with both their troubled pasts coming back to haunt them in worrying ways. I liked the way they both have their faults and fight against the things their troubled lives have thrown at them. The reader can really appreciate how tough and truly determined young Aurnia is when she decides to pursue, seemingly emotionally unavailable, Conor. If you like your romance cute and fluffy – this is definitely not for you; but if you prefer a good, full-length exploration into the darker side of romance this s a really good read. This is a stand-alone story, but I can’t wait for more in this ‘series’.
April 4, 2022
Dublin Ink is a grief-ridden, forbidden love story about a teenage girl and a man who’s more than a decade older than her.
Their physical connection is instant and inappropriate.
Conor is troubled and guilt-ridden, and like most males, he becomes inarticulate and withdrawn.
Aurnia has led a life that we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy, let alone a child. Yet, her insight is what saves them both in the end.
It is complicated, troubling and all sorts of wrong, yet sweet and sexy and oh so right.
The characters have grabbed me by the heartstrings and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next instalment of this series.
Their physical connection is instant and inappropriate.
Conor is troubled and guilt-ridden, and like most males, he becomes inarticulate and withdrawn.
Aurnia has led a life that we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy, let alone a child. Yet, her insight is what saves them both in the end.
It is complicated, troubling and all sorts of wrong, yet sweet and sexy and oh so right.
The characters have grabbed me by the heartstrings and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next instalment of this series.
March 22, 2022
This is a new to me author and I'm in love with Dublin Ink! There's nothing like a bit of trouble to fix things right? Aurnia and Conor
may soon find out. Ms. Blake spins a story that pulls you in and makes you feel as if you're right there with these characters. Their story is raw and intense, it's brutal and heartbreaking but, it's a story of redemption, acceptance, evolving and especially love. I love this story and I can't wait for the next book in this series.
may soon find out. Ms. Blake spins a story that pulls you in and makes you feel as if you're right there with these characters. Their story is raw and intense, it's brutal and heartbreaking but, it's a story of redemption, acceptance, evolving and especially love. I love this story and I can't wait for the next book in this series.
May 22, 2022
DNF @ 6% which is saying a lot. First things first, and I mean this in the nicest way don’t set books in a country you don’t live in. It is painfully obvious the author is not from Ireland and has tried to set the book there and adopt the lingo and it’s not working. As someone from Ireland reading this, it’s impossible to enjoy the plot. So for that alone I couldn’t finish it.
November 5, 2022
Kinda gave me the ick.
dnf
May 26, 2023This isn’t an age gap romance. It’s illegal. She’s 17!!
March 21, 2023
dnf
tl;dr I'm never reading anything from this author again because the dog shit she writes is fucking harmful.
Conor is a gross, violent pedophile. Aurnia is 17 years old and is described as a skinny little girl. And what are his follow up thoughts to that description? That he wants to fuck her and is consumed by the sadness in her eyes and wants to see her naked. Again, she's described as beyond skinny, really small and petite, limp dirty looking hair. So he gets turned on by a child in a dark situation where she is clearly not being taken care of and is in need of help and guidance. I mean I'm not even going to get into the gross power imbalance that's at play with her being on parole and needing this internship with him in order to stay out of juvie.
And if that's something you can ignore how about within just 31% of the book there were multiple instances of him being violent with her and physically harming her. At one point she's so scared of the violent "conversation" that they are having that she thinks he might actually punch her. And of course it's all explained away that he's so angry because he's upset for her; that her living situation and his fear for her is why he's slamming tables, breaking glasses, and possibly almost punching her...That's literally text book abuser behavior. Mind you this happens after it is implied that she was about to be sexually assaulted in the trap house she lives at.
"Conor fixed his gaze even more intensely on me as he repeated his words through clenched teeth, “Answer me.” His insistence only made me dig in my heels further. “Nothing has ever happened,” I said.
I jumped when Conor pounded his fists on the table. It made the bottle topple over and spill whiskey over the edge, the teacup clattered in its porcelain saucer, and the empty bowl slid off and shattered on the floor. After the burst of noise it was silent once more.
———————————————
“Watch the floor!” My foot stopped just an inch above the sharp porcelain shards of the bowl. The fact that I had almost cut myself enraged Conor even further.
“Goddammit,” he muttered as his fists shook. “Goddammit, goddammit!”
He was mad enough to punch a brick wall. Hell, if he hadn’t been so worried about me cutting my foot just seconds earlier, I would have thought he was mad enough to punch me. I stared at him in shocked silence as he continued to pace erratically."
Yeah this is an absolute no for me, and should be a no for everyone. This kind of shit that's being labeled a romance literally kills people. It is trash like this that normalizes dangerous patterns of behavior and makes it seems like the abuser is some kind of hero. When in reality he is a pedophilic violent predator. And just because you make a character hot should never detract from the dangerous behaviors they exhibit--because I guarantee that the people who find this swoony would not think it was hot if the man was described as ugly or didn't have the ripped body and tattoos.
Lastly I really want to drive this home (and actually figure out): How are people finding this 30-something year old man who desperately wants to fuck a gangly somewhat emaciated looking child hot????? Tell me how.
Edit: OMGGGGGG so I read a little further just to see how the author was going to explain away this bullshit and I found this:
"I craned my neck to see Aurnia lying on the floor just beside the bed. She had taken a single blanket, the one that had been thrown along the end of my bed, and had arranged it on the floor. The frayed edges she had drawn up as best she could over herself. I could see from the way she shivered that they weren’t enough. I hesitated. The radiator was turned up as high as it would go. There was no solution there. The only answer was to walk inside and pull the big duvet onto her.
I dragged a hand over my face. Even from the threshold of the door I could see the way my sweatshirt had ridden up on her bare legs. The moonlight was cast upon them, upon their smooth flesh. I could make out the underside of her ass, the worn hem of her panties. I looked away quickly. My gaze had already lingered too long. Just like it had when I had happened to glance up from the kitchen counter to see through the tiniest of slits in the bathroom door, the sight of Aurnia just out of the shower. She had looked away immediately, as I should have.
It wasn’t, after all, right that I should gaze upon someone of her age. She had caught me by surprise. Just like she had from the very start. The steam from her long shower had lingered around her body, twisting about her like swatches of silk. Her wet hair fell down her shoulders, catching the light like the feathers of a raven. God, how small she was. And yet I saw, too, that there was a shape hidden beneath those baggy jackets and torn jeans.
She was forbidden fruit. I had already failed once the test of temptation."
How he can sexualize her even during a time where she's in pain physically, emotionally, and mentally? She's at a real low and what does he do? Describes her ass cheeks and her panties, as well as state that he peeped through a crack in the door at her coming out of the shower. How did the author think this was okay?
tl;dr I'm never reading anything from this author again because the dog shit she writes is fucking harmful.
Conor is a gross, violent pedophile. Aurnia is 17 years old and is described as a skinny little girl. And what are his follow up thoughts to that description? That he wants to fuck her and is consumed by the sadness in her eyes and wants to see her naked. Again, she's described as beyond skinny, really small and petite, limp dirty looking hair. So he gets turned on by a child in a dark situation where she is clearly not being taken care of and is in need of help and guidance. I mean I'm not even going to get into the gross power imbalance that's at play with her being on parole and needing this internship with him in order to stay out of juvie.
And if that's something you can ignore how about within just 31% of the book there were multiple instances of him being violent with her and physically harming her. At one point she's so scared of the violent "conversation" that they are having that she thinks he might actually punch her. And of course it's all explained away that he's so angry because he's upset for her; that her living situation and his fear for her is why he's slamming tables, breaking glasses, and possibly almost punching her...That's literally text book abuser behavior. Mind you this happens after it is implied that she was about to be sexually assaulted in the trap house she lives at.
"Conor fixed his gaze even more intensely on me as he repeated his words through clenched teeth, “Answer me.” His insistence only made me dig in my heels further. “Nothing has ever happened,” I said.
I jumped when Conor pounded his fists on the table. It made the bottle topple over and spill whiskey over the edge, the teacup clattered in its porcelain saucer, and the empty bowl slid off and shattered on the floor. After the burst of noise it was silent once more.
———————————————
“Watch the floor!” My foot stopped just an inch above the sharp porcelain shards of the bowl. The fact that I had almost cut myself enraged Conor even further.
“Goddammit,” he muttered as his fists shook. “Goddammit, goddammit!”
He was mad enough to punch a brick wall. Hell, if he hadn’t been so worried about me cutting my foot just seconds earlier, I would have thought he was mad enough to punch me. I stared at him in shocked silence as he continued to pace erratically."
Yeah this is an absolute no for me, and should be a no for everyone. This kind of shit that's being labeled a romance literally kills people. It is trash like this that normalizes dangerous patterns of behavior and makes it seems like the abuser is some kind of hero. When in reality he is a pedophilic violent predator. And just because you make a character hot should never detract from the dangerous behaviors they exhibit--because I guarantee that the people who find this swoony would not think it was hot if the man was described as ugly or didn't have the ripped body and tattoos.
Lastly I really want to drive this home (and actually figure out): How are people finding this 30-something year old man who desperately wants to fuck a gangly somewhat emaciated looking child hot????? Tell me how.
Edit: OMGGGGGG so I read a little further just to see how the author was going to explain away this bullshit and I found this:
"I craned my neck to see Aurnia lying on the floor just beside the bed. She had taken a single blanket, the one that had been thrown along the end of my bed, and had arranged it on the floor. The frayed edges she had drawn up as best she could over herself. I could see from the way she shivered that they weren’t enough. I hesitated. The radiator was turned up as high as it would go. There was no solution there. The only answer was to walk inside and pull the big duvet onto her.
I dragged a hand over my face. Even from the threshold of the door I could see the way my sweatshirt had ridden up on her bare legs. The moonlight was cast upon them, upon their smooth flesh. I could make out the underside of her ass, the worn hem of her panties. I looked away quickly. My gaze had already lingered too long. Just like it had when I had happened to glance up from the kitchen counter to see through the tiniest of slits in the bathroom door, the sight of Aurnia just out of the shower. She had looked away immediately, as I should have.
It wasn’t, after all, right that I should gaze upon someone of her age. She had caught me by surprise. Just like she had from the very start. The steam from her long shower had lingered around her body, twisting about her like swatches of silk. Her wet hair fell down her shoulders, catching the light like the feathers of a raven. God, how small she was. And yet I saw, too, that there was a shape hidden beneath those baggy jackets and torn jeans.
She was forbidden fruit. I had already failed once the test of temptation."
How he can sexualize her even during a time where she's in pain physically, emotionally, and mentally? She's at a real low and what does he do? Describes her ass cheeks and her panties, as well as state that he peeped through a crack in the door at her coming out of the shower. How did the author think this was okay?
March 31, 2022
4.5 stars
This is a story about a troubled tattoo artist who self sabatoges himself at every turn and a young (almost half his age) juvenile whose life is less then stellar.
Conor has had a rough life and was a juvenile himself that had been in the system. Choices he made backfired and he feels that his life is going nowhere and is in a dark place. Its by a twist of fate that his dark secrets are brough to his doorstep by Aurnia. Maybe that is why he is drawn to Aurnia so much. She comes from a drug addict father who has her living in a crack trailer and all sort of low lives are in and out of daily. She never feels safe and has lived the life of an adult at the ripe age of 17 (almost 18 and she likes to say). The things she has had to deal with and endure at a very young age has jaded her and made her grow up very quickly. You can feel her hopelessness at times and it broke my heart.
When these two collide and I do mean collide there are instant fireworks. Conor fights the attraction for Aurnia not just for her age but for history repeating itself. But Aurnia has her sites set on him and she wont give up. There banter had me laughing out loud more then once and there were times my heart broke for Aurnia. This author gave me all the feels for these characters and that is what kept me hooked from the first page until the last. Loved watching this love story unfold!
April 17, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! I've read Sienna's work before, but this by far has to be one of my favorites!! I really took my time reading Dublin Ink and I'm so glad I did! I poured over her words and absorbed each and every one. It was so easy to feel like I was living the journey along with all of the characters.
Connor and Aurnia are perfectly broken. As I read, I felt all of the pain and suffering each of them lived through. I could feel the heat of their unspoken passion fly from the pages. I could feel the love they had for eachother, but were so scared to acknowledge, for fear of loosing everything, again. I could see their individual dreams they were scared to dream, and even more, the dreams they shared for a very uncertain future.
They both had a constant shadow following each of them individually, a past they could not escape on their own. Finding out their dark past were the same, cemented them together. Seeing their sun rise, and them finally finding the happiness they deserve and worked so hard for, was heart warming.
Sienna did an amazing job and I absolutely recommend that you read this book. You will fall in love with Conor and Aurnia. I can't wait to see where Sienna take Mason, one of the guys at Dublin Ink, on his journey!
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Connor and Aurnia are perfectly broken. As I read, I felt all of the pain and suffering each of them lived through. I could feel the heat of their unspoken passion fly from the pages. I could feel the love they had for eachother, but were so scared to acknowledge, for fear of loosing everything, again. I could see their individual dreams they were scared to dream, and even more, the dreams they shared for a very uncertain future.
They both had a constant shadow following each of them individually, a past they could not escape on their own. Finding out their dark past were the same, cemented them together. Seeing their sun rise, and them finally finding the happiness they deserve and worked so hard for, was heart warming.
Sienna did an amazing job and I absolutely recommend that you read this book. You will fall in love with Conor and Aurnia. I can't wait to see where Sienna take Mason, one of the guys at Dublin Ink, on his journey!
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
May 13, 2022
My Thoughts:
Aurnia’s home life is everything but prefect. Having to grow up way to soon to take care of her Dad she ends up having to make decisions that get her in to trouble. She soon finds herself having to work alongside of Connor a owner of a tattoo shop who does not want her there. They soon find their selves in a complex love affair they can’t control. This is a raw story about how they try to handle what is happening to them but it is just pure chemistry between them that makes them and able to stay away from each other. Will sparks and insults turn into broken rules and forbidden moment until one final mistake seals their fate read and find out 😊
This is book one in this story and I am looking forward to reading book 2.
If you like pure raw romance this book is for you
Aurnia’s home life is everything but prefect. Having to grow up way to soon to take care of her Dad she ends up having to make decisions that get her in to trouble. She soon finds herself having to work alongside of Connor a owner of a tattoo shop who does not want her there. They soon find their selves in a complex love affair they can’t control. This is a raw story about how they try to handle what is happening to them but it is just pure chemistry between them that makes them and able to stay away from each other. Will sparks and insults turn into broken rules and forbidden moment until one final mistake seals their fate read and find out 😊
This is book one in this story and I am looking forward to reading book 2.
If you like pure raw romance this book is for you
May 9, 2022
Dublin Ink by Sienna Blake is the First book in the Dublin Ink Series. This is the story of Conor and Aurnia. Conor is a older man who has a tattoo shop with his friends. They the all have their own issues but have made a meg-shift family. Aurnia is 17 year old who has had to take care of her self all her life and has recently been caught in trouble. Now she is on probation with a task to intern at Dublin Ink. Conor and Aurnia of course but heads at first but they both start to find things in each other that fits them. Enjoyed this book and can't wait for more from this series.
May 7, 2022
This book was everything. I devoured it in one sitting and could not put it down. Dublin Ink is a heart-wrenching, taboo, age-gap romance I absolutely loved.
The storyline was fast paced, the heroine, Aurnia was strong and resilient, and the hero, Conor was broken and still living in the memories of the past. The two are fire together and I stayed up way too late reading this book.
Dublin Ink can be read as a standalone and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The storyline was fast paced, the heroine, Aurnia was strong and resilient, and the hero, Conor was broken and still living in the memories of the past. The two are fire together and I stayed up way too late reading this book.
Dublin Ink can be read as a standalone and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 5, 2022
Conner doesn't let anyone in or trust anyone at all,not even his partners in his business and his friends, so when little miss Aurnia is practically threw at him through the juvie program his world is turned upside down. After all is said and done and help from Aurnia he is able to overcome his past and let her in. The chemistry between these to will blow you away!
May 5, 2022
An amazing book from Sienna once again. Lots of angst and edginess. Fantastic writing.
I love the connections between the characters along with the emotion of the book.
Two people who need love but are both too stubborn to see beyond their own problems and give themselves a chance at happiness.
I love the way Sienna ties the book to the Irish kiss series too.
I love the connections between the characters along with the emotion of the book.
Two people who need love but are both too stubborn to see beyond their own problems and give themselves a chance at happiness.
I love the way Sienna ties the book to the Irish kiss series too.
November 23, 2022
Mind your business…
May 8, 2022
Definitely not your cookie cutter romance
If you’re looking for a cookie cutter romance, this is not for you. This story is raw and gritty, and will rip your heart out over and over. This is a story of two broken, traumatized characters with an imperfect relationship in their imperfect world.
When I saw she brought in characters from her previous books that I loved, I thought the entrance of Diarmuid meant this story was going to wind up like his storyline (in Irish Kiss he is a JLO and meets Saoirse when she is only 13 - and it’s the most amazing book. READ IT!). I adored getting bits of Diarmuid in this story, but Conor and Aurnia’s story is so much different. She is not yet 18 when she is assigned to Conor’s failing tattoo shop as part of her parole. He begrudgingly agreed to take her only because it will mean income, but then meets her as she is stealing from his register. To say they got off on the wrong foot is an understatement.
Conor is pretty much an anti-hero through the entire book. He had a childhood that pretty much mirrored Aurnia’s, and has spent his adult years filled with anger, drugs and alcohol, and self hatred. He has his two business partners that are the closest thing to friends or family that he has, but keeps them at an arms length. He self sabotages left and right, pushing people away, yelling at potential customers, and being outright cruel to Aurnia. Underneath all of that, he wants her desperately, but their situation is painfully mirrored to one he was in at her age that left him with more scars. He is desperate for her to have a better future. Aurnia was abandoned by her mother, and raised in a drug den by a worthless drug dealer father who never provided for or protected her. She grew up fast because she had to in order to protect herself. Finding herself being groomed by the man that is taking over her father’s territory, she desperately wants to find that safety and family she craves at Dublin Ink.
There is not a lot of traditional beauty or romance in this story. It’s hard and painful, but it’s real and raw. It’s finding your future even when surrounded by hopelessness. It’s rising from those ashes instead of staying down in the dirt. It’s making a family with people who are equally broken, but accept you and help you to heal as you help them. And that makes it beautiful.
If you’re looking for a cookie cutter romance, this is not for you. This story is raw and gritty, and will rip your heart out over and over. This is a story of two broken, traumatized characters with an imperfect relationship in their imperfect world.
When I saw she brought in characters from her previous books that I loved, I thought the entrance of Diarmuid meant this story was going to wind up like his storyline (in Irish Kiss he is a JLO and meets Saoirse when she is only 13 - and it’s the most amazing book. READ IT!). I adored getting bits of Diarmuid in this story, but Conor and Aurnia’s story is so much different. She is not yet 18 when she is assigned to Conor’s failing tattoo shop as part of her parole. He begrudgingly agreed to take her only because it will mean income, but then meets her as she is stealing from his register. To say they got off on the wrong foot is an understatement.
Conor is pretty much an anti-hero through the entire book. He had a childhood that pretty much mirrored Aurnia’s, and has spent his adult years filled with anger, drugs and alcohol, and self hatred. He has his two business partners that are the closest thing to friends or family that he has, but keeps them at an arms length. He self sabotages left and right, pushing people away, yelling at potential customers, and being outright cruel to Aurnia. Underneath all of that, he wants her desperately, but their situation is painfully mirrored to one he was in at her age that left him with more scars. He is desperate for her to have a better future. Aurnia was abandoned by her mother, and raised in a drug den by a worthless drug dealer father who never provided for or protected her. She grew up fast because she had to in order to protect herself. Finding herself being groomed by the man that is taking over her father’s territory, she desperately wants to find that safety and family she craves at Dublin Ink.
There is not a lot of traditional beauty or romance in this story. It’s hard and painful, but it’s real and raw. It’s finding your future even when surrounded by hopelessness. It’s rising from those ashes instead of staying down in the dirt. It’s making a family with people who are equally broken, but accept you and help you to heal as you help them. And that makes it beautiful.
July 3, 2022
So much angst 😩😩😩
I think I’m getting too old for that much angst in a book when I’m not expecting it LOL
Individually, Aurnia and Conor were good enough characters. Both were dealt a rough hand and the age difference didn’t help matters but boy I wanted to check them sometimes.
Conor was determined to push away everyone around him and Aurnia just wanted a family but didn’t go around it the best way. I felt for them, I really did, but they tried my patience a lot.
Still I’m glad it all worked out for them. The writing was good though dragging a bit at times and it was more of a HFN than a HEA but I’ll take it seeing as Mason’s book is next so hopefully we’ll get more of all after.
If you like angsty, age-gap romance with tattoo artists, this might be the book for you !
On a side note, it was funny to see a neighborhood I pass by often mentioned here 😂
I think I’m getting too old for that much angst in a book when I’m not expecting it LOL
Individually, Aurnia and Conor were good enough characters. Both were dealt a rough hand and the age difference didn’t help matters but boy I wanted to check them sometimes.
Conor was determined to push away everyone around him and Aurnia just wanted a family but didn’t go around it the best way. I felt for them, I really did, but they tried my patience a lot.
Still I’m glad it all worked out for them. The writing was good though dragging a bit at times and it was more of a HFN than a HEA but I’ll take it seeing as Mason’s book is next so hopefully we’ll get more of all after.
If you like angsty, age-gap romance with tattoo artists, this might be the book for you !
On a side note, it was funny to see a neighborhood I pass by often mentioned here 😂
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