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Tattoo Kiss x
One fall night, Scottish singer Jackson Mackay loses everything he ever loved in a horrible tragedy. At that same moment, in another wing of that same hospital, Letti Ruiz gasps awake after a life-altering surgery leaves her a shell of the high profile attorney she once was. Their lives couldn’t be more different. A series of seemingly perfectly orchestrated imperfections leads them to each other and kindles a fire where their twin souls unite. Will their damaged hearts shatter the other? What happens when half-truths and brokenness rip apart a love that should weather any storm? Join author Sarah Brown on this unique, dark and sensual journey to finding grace and hope in the rubble that is real life. Based on a true story.
530 pages, Paperback
Published August 24, 2022
11 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
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October 25, 2022
💋 REVIEW 💋
Tattoo Kiss
By Sarah Brown
530 pages
Pub: Oct 11, 2022 -- Out now!
Duology (Part 1 of 2)
Available on Kindle Unlimited
⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ • 4/5 stars
❌ SPOILER WARNING: There are no major spoilers here... But if you're sensitive to spoilers and plan on reading this, you may want to skip my review. I do give some details that may be borderline spoilers to some people. ❌
Ok full transparency here.... I struuuuuuggle with indie books. 🙈 That's why you don't see very many of them here or on my Bookstagram. When it comes to books, I place a lot of emphasis on the technical side of writing. So if the book falls short with regard to the spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc., I have a very difficult time looking past it to the meat of the story. And believe me, I try. But I just can't enjoy a book that isn't properly written / edited.
So I can't even begin to tell you HOW FREAKING HAPPY IT MADE ME to read this indie novel and actually be able to enjoy the story because it was actually well written AND well edited. 👏 Yes, there are a few minor errors here and there. But that is to be expected in any indie novel that doesn't have the luxury of undergoing the rounds and rounds of rigorous editing of a traditionally published work. And the errors were fairly minor, so they didn't take away from the story. 💕
Tattoo Kiss, at its core, is about two broken people who cross paths at the best possible time in their lives. Two people whose past trauma holds them back from living their best lives. Two people who need one another more than they realize. It's a book about loss, love, and the sometimes dark and messy side of life. But more than anything, it's about finding the strength to move on. The Colleen Hoover / "New Adult" genre crowd would absolutely swooooon over this story. It's available on Kindle Unlimited, so snag your copy and give it a read. ☺️
✨ The things I loved:
•Tattoo Kiss is incredibly passionate. And not in a steamy, sexy way (it's actually fairly light on the steam). But in an emotional way. It touches the reader and makes them feel. 💕
• Jack. Jack is a fantastic male protagonist. His personality is very distinct, and the author really lets the reader get to know him. He's just a really solid character!
• The friendship between Joe and Letti. 🥺
•I LOOOOOVED "Eddie" -- so clever!
• There were a lot of clever references here that may not click for younger readers. But as someone in her late 30s, I got them and totally appreciated them.😉
•There are some really beautiful lines in this book. Lyrical, poetic... just brilliant. The author's poetry background really shone here.
Examples: "The Knife to my heart to hear him bite the words like a cyanide pill and die quickly with the poison to be free from this cursed plane."
"I don't need the warmth of it to fall on me, as long as it warms her soul against the world I've given up on."
"If art is how other people decorate their walls, music is how I decorate my time."
Beautiful! Love it! ❤️
•The dialogue always felt natural. And this is something a lot of indie writers struggle with. But Brown nailed the dialogue. 👏 Never felt forced or awkward. Well done!!
•That this is based (at least in part) on a true story is amazing!💕
✨ Things I didn't love / things to take into consideration:
As you see, I docked a star. There were a handful of things that prevented this from being a 5 star read for me....
• I struggled a bit with Letti's character. She was a bit of a contradiction. A juxtaposition. At times she's this shy, insecure, self-deprecating, broken person. She has severe anxiety and depression and is just a bundle of nerves. She is borderline agoraphobic at the beginning of the book. But then other times she's a completely different person.... Almost obnoxious. She can be loud, confident, outgoing. And her anxiety and depression seemed to fizzle out and then wasn't mentioned again. Perhaps Jack helped her overcome it? Either way, it felt a bit forgotten in the writing process. 🤷♀️ Overall, I just had a hard time coming to terms with who Letti was supposed to be. I didn't have a clear understanding as I did with Jack.
• The book is written as if the narrator (Letti or Jack, mainly) is speaking to the reader as a confidant. It's conversational at times. Informal. And while this may be the perfect match for some readers, it's not my favorite. I do enjoy first person narrative, but I don't love when the narrator interacts with the reader. Examples: Asking the reader questions like "right?" And "remember?" or addressing the reader as "you". But again, this is just personal preference. ☺️
•There were a few inconsistencies. For example, in chapter 16, when Letti is on the phone with her therapist, she mentions being able to *see* the therapist nodding and smiling. Yet she'd previously said they were just on a call (no video call this time) because Letti didn't want the therapist to see her. So Letti couldn't actually see her nod or smile. It's just an oversight. ❤️ There are a few minor oversights like this throughout.
•In the beginning, Letti doesn't drink. 👀 she tells Jack she doesn't drink. But then she drinks throughout the rest of the book. I feel like I may have missed something??
•The length. 530 pages is much too long for this book. Especially when there's no resolution (we're left on a major cliffhanger). And the book could have been condensed without some of the redundant bits. For example:
"I like to plan things. I'm a planner."
Or the scene at the hospital when Joe is leaving. Then there's a paragraph in which the nurse tells him that friends and family can come on back. Completely unnecessary and could have been left out altogether. Added exactly nothing to the story. There were a handful of instances like this. Irrelevant scenes that did not advance the story one iota. They could have been redacted to make for a more concise novel. TBH, half of it could have been left off and it wouldn't have negatively impacted the story.
Lastly, the lack of an ending was brutal. 🙈 I understand the author probably left it on that note because it got too lengthy and she really couldn't write a 1000 page debut novel. 😅 But it made for a bit of a disappointment. It would have been preferable to condense book one to half the length by removing the redundant/ unnecessary bits, and finishing the book in one. Leaving a debut novel on such a cliffhanger was a brave, bold move. But judging from the reviews here, it seems most readers didn't mind it. 🤷♀️
Overall, and despite my criticisms, I did enjoy this book. If it was traditionally published, I probably would have given it 3 stars for the issues I mentioned above. However, I rate books for what they are. This is a debut indie novel and should be regarded as such. And I am beyond impressed and proud of the author for writing such a beautiful first book. ❤️ Well done!!! I will definitely be reading more from this author and I can't wait to see her grow as a writer. 🥰
Oh, and I'm also going to be checking out the audiobook. 🎧 The narrator for Jack is 🥵🤤!!! That VOICE!!!!
Thank you Sarah for my gifted copy in exchange for my review. I did end up reading the majority on Kindle Unlimited once it was published. That way you'd at least make some money! 💰
.
.
.
.
Tattoo Kiss
By Sarah Brown
530 pages
Pub: Oct 11, 2022 -- Out now!
Duology (Part 1 of 2)
Available on Kindle Unlimited
⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ • 4/5 stars
❌ SPOILER WARNING: There are no major spoilers here... But if you're sensitive to spoilers and plan on reading this, you may want to skip my review. I do give some details that may be borderline spoilers to some people. ❌
Ok full transparency here.... I struuuuuuggle with indie books. 🙈 That's why you don't see very many of them here or on my Bookstagram. When it comes to books, I place a lot of emphasis on the technical side of writing. So if the book falls short with regard to the spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc., I have a very difficult time looking past it to the meat of the story. And believe me, I try. But I just can't enjoy a book that isn't properly written / edited.
So I can't even begin to tell you HOW FREAKING HAPPY IT MADE ME to read this indie novel and actually be able to enjoy the story because it was actually well written AND well edited. 👏 Yes, there are a few minor errors here and there. But that is to be expected in any indie novel that doesn't have the luxury of undergoing the rounds and rounds of rigorous editing of a traditionally published work. And the errors were fairly minor, so they didn't take away from the story. 💕
Tattoo Kiss, at its core, is about two broken people who cross paths at the best possible time in their lives. Two people whose past trauma holds them back from living their best lives. Two people who need one another more than they realize. It's a book about loss, love, and the sometimes dark and messy side of life. But more than anything, it's about finding the strength to move on. The Colleen Hoover / "New Adult" genre crowd would absolutely swooooon over this story. It's available on Kindle Unlimited, so snag your copy and give it a read. ☺️
✨ The things I loved:
•Tattoo Kiss is incredibly passionate. And not in a steamy, sexy way (it's actually fairly light on the steam). But in an emotional way. It touches the reader and makes them feel. 💕
• Jack. Jack is a fantastic male protagonist. His personality is very distinct, and the author really lets the reader get to know him. He's just a really solid character!
• The friendship between Joe and Letti. 🥺
•I LOOOOOVED "Eddie" -- so clever!
• There were a lot of clever references here that may not click for younger readers. But as someone in her late 30s, I got them and totally appreciated them.😉
•There are some really beautiful lines in this book. Lyrical, poetic... just brilliant. The author's poetry background really shone here.
Examples: "The Knife to my heart to hear him bite the words like a cyanide pill and die quickly with the poison to be free from this cursed plane."
"I don't need the warmth of it to fall on me, as long as it warms her soul against the world I've given up on."
"If art is how other people decorate their walls, music is how I decorate my time."
Beautiful! Love it! ❤️
•The dialogue always felt natural. And this is something a lot of indie writers struggle with. But Brown nailed the dialogue. 👏 Never felt forced or awkward. Well done!!
•That this is based (at least in part) on a true story is amazing!💕
✨ Things I didn't love / things to take into consideration:
As you see, I docked a star. There were a handful of things that prevented this from being a 5 star read for me....
• I struggled a bit with Letti's character. She was a bit of a contradiction. A juxtaposition. At times she's this shy, insecure, self-deprecating, broken person. She has severe anxiety and depression and is just a bundle of nerves. She is borderline agoraphobic at the beginning of the book. But then other times she's a completely different person.... Almost obnoxious. She can be loud, confident, outgoing. And her anxiety and depression seemed to fizzle out and then wasn't mentioned again. Perhaps Jack helped her overcome it? Either way, it felt a bit forgotten in the writing process. 🤷♀️ Overall, I just had a hard time coming to terms with who Letti was supposed to be. I didn't have a clear understanding as I did with Jack.
• The book is written as if the narrator (Letti or Jack, mainly) is speaking to the reader as a confidant. It's conversational at times. Informal. And while this may be the perfect match for some readers, it's not my favorite. I do enjoy first person narrative, but I don't love when the narrator interacts with the reader. Examples: Asking the reader questions like "right?" And "remember?" or addressing the reader as "you". But again, this is just personal preference. ☺️
•There were a few inconsistencies. For example, in chapter 16, when Letti is on the phone with her therapist, she mentions being able to *see* the therapist nodding and smiling. Yet she'd previously said they were just on a call (no video call this time) because Letti didn't want the therapist to see her. So Letti couldn't actually see her nod or smile. It's just an oversight. ❤️ There are a few minor oversights like this throughout.
•In the beginning, Letti doesn't drink. 👀 she tells Jack she doesn't drink. But then she drinks throughout the rest of the book. I feel like I may have missed something??
•The length. 530 pages is much too long for this book. Especially when there's no resolution (we're left on a major cliffhanger). And the book could have been condensed without some of the redundant bits. For example:
"I like to plan things. I'm a planner."
Or the scene at the hospital when Joe is leaving. Then there's a paragraph in which the nurse tells him that friends and family can come on back. Completely unnecessary and could have been left out altogether. Added exactly nothing to the story. There were a handful of instances like this. Irrelevant scenes that did not advance the story one iota. They could have been redacted to make for a more concise novel. TBH, half of it could have been left off and it wouldn't have negatively impacted the story.
Lastly, the lack of an ending was brutal. 🙈 I understand the author probably left it on that note because it got too lengthy and she really couldn't write a 1000 page debut novel. 😅 But it made for a bit of a disappointment. It would have been preferable to condense book one to half the length by removing the redundant/ unnecessary bits, and finishing the book in one. Leaving a debut novel on such a cliffhanger was a brave, bold move. But judging from the reviews here, it seems most readers didn't mind it. 🤷♀️
Overall, and despite my criticisms, I did enjoy this book. If it was traditionally published, I probably would have given it 3 stars for the issues I mentioned above. However, I rate books for what they are. This is a debut indie novel and should be regarded as such. And I am beyond impressed and proud of the author for writing such a beautiful first book. ❤️ Well done!!! I will definitely be reading more from this author and I can't wait to see her grow as a writer. 🥰
Oh, and I'm also going to be checking out the audiobook. 🎧 The narrator for Jack is 🥵🤤!!! That VOICE!!!!
Thank you Sarah for my gifted copy in exchange for my review. I did end up reading the majority on Kindle Unlimited once it was published. That way you'd at least make some money! 💰
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July 10, 2022
Wow! I don’t even know where to start with my love of this book. What an amazing balance of pain and pleasure. Lettis voice is so raw and real, even before you begin to piece together her story, her anxiety and apprehension are palpable. She is stoic yet vulnerable and even in moments where you want to roll your eyes or even shake her, you can’t help but be rooting for her from page one. And Jack…the brief glimpses into his perspective make you love him, even before Letti knows that she does. I am at the edge of my seat to see how these fools can find each other, mend each other in book two. I’m sure author Sarah Brown will have me devouring every word once again. I will forever blush at the sight or mention of cherry pie!
July 12, 2022
Surely you all know it, there are books that you never finish or finish with great self-denial. At least I'm that kind of reader. I'm bothered by long lifeless descriptions, bland characters, stagnant plot... Of course, I don't remember all the books I've read, some I don't want to remember at all. But with Tattoo Kiss it's completely different. I have this story tattooed in my head and especially in my heart... The story will absorb you from the very beginning. The author made me feel like a direct participant in the plot. Feelings such as anger, pain, joy, bitterness experienced by the characters, I also experience with them, which of course forced me to compare, think, confront. What happens in the book is close to me, identical things have happened to many of us. Would I react in the same way? Would I also solve it this way? I definitely have to return to the book again. And what fascinates me the most? A sentence, a simple sentence that tells the whole story. The author uses relatively short sentences, but they have a long narrative value. For example, one word = one sentence that describes the whole situation. The power of the word, the power of the sentence is the most essential for the written story and this work is brilliantly written. It's fantastic. Since English is not my native language, sometimes I get lost in long sentences, meanings and descriptions... This is not the case. Words flow like water, sometimes cold, sometimes warm, sometimes hot or you freeze... I am very much looking forward to the second part of the book.
July 12, 2022
This book is amazing. You feel the pain of Letti, and suffer alongside her. Jack seems so strong and add assured but you know he has a story and that it is heartbreaking. And then you just want to yell at them and tell them to take a chance. Then you want to cocoon them and protect them. I fell in love with Jack - Sarah has created a character I am thoroughly invested in. I can’t wait to read the conclusion of his, and Letti’s story. You will absolutely love this book.
July 14, 2022
Jack and Letti are my new Couple.. my new Romeo and Juliet, my new Heathcliff and Cathy, my new Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, heck even my new Peanut Butter and Jelly! Their story is timeless, real and raw. I love the writing style of this book which lets the story flow so effortlessly, and is flawless in its description of Jack and Letti’s pain, love, lust and their overwhelming need for each other… believe me, you will feel every nervous laugh, anxiety-ridden thought, every thrust, every tear, every touch! I just finished reading it and my breathing and heartbeat have still not returned to normal! You will love it!
July 15, 2022
This is a brilliant story, that I will read over and over again. It is a touching saga, filled with the deeply personal and thoroughly realistic moments of love, loss, lust, heartbreak, and of two subsequently altered lives. The idea that these two hurt people can still become passionate lovers and friends is a testament to human strength, resilience, and survivability. Although struggling, these two talented, bright, people manage to give each other tenderness and support. The crisp writing, hilariously funny or ironic moments, served up with tales of ridiculously unsupportive relatives, juxtaposed to their caring friends, makes for a story that keeps moving. I laughed as much as I cried. Jack and Letti, the main characters, will set your brain on fire!
July 15, 2022
I remember reading this story when Sarah first started it. But then, to read it again. This novel haunts me. From Letti's marriage and to her family who don't give a damn about her. Then, meeting this "Stoic Viking" named jack, who also has his own issues.
I enjoyed how Sarah has worded this book to draw you in and to feel something almost unreal. I loved the snippets of humor that Letti used as a strategy for her PTSD. And that Jack knew how to calm her down when she was starting to have an episode.
I will read this book time and again. Not for the humor or the drama, but for the reality of it. Showing that people deal with different issues in diverse ways.
I enjoyed how Sarah has worded this book to draw you in and to feel something almost unreal. I loved the snippets of humor that Letti used as a strategy for her PTSD. And that Jack knew how to calm her down when she was starting to have an episode.
I will read this book time and again. Not for the humor or the drama, but for the reality of it. Showing that people deal with different issues in diverse ways.
October 20, 2022
An angst, heart wrenching and beautiful love story of two broken souls who are meant to be together and their journey of love, loss, and pain after which they ultimately come together.
This unique love story is based on true events and it made this book so much more. This book was funny, fast, intense, dark, spicy, yet tender. There was so much that I loved about this book I don’t want to spoil it. This was an incredible story and I can’t wait for the second book!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This unique love story is based on true events and it made this book so much more. This book was funny, fast, intense, dark, spicy, yet tender. There was so much that I loved about this book I don’t want to spoil it. This was an incredible story and I can’t wait for the second book!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
July 18, 2022
This is a fantastic book, beautifully written, exciting, sad and funny at the same time. I can't wait for the sequel.
July 14, 2022
The story pulls you in right from the start. Letti is such a real character that you can’t help but relate to her struggles, her brokenness, her use of sarcasm as a coping mechanism. Then this stunning mess of a man, Jackson, walks in and they somehow start to piece one another back together, while still falling apart at times. Hauntingly beautiful and I can’t wait for book 2
October 17, 2022
Jackson Mackay and Letti Ruiz are both broken when they meet by chance one night. A singer who hasn’t sung in ages, Jackson is still reeling after an unthinkable loss. Meanwhile former lawyer Letti is dealing with some PTSD due to a string of unfortunate events.
Each handling their grief very differently initially has them butting heads. But it isn’t too long before Letti begins to notice how charming the former music man can be, despite her best efforts to think otherwise.
For Jackson, being drawn to Letti isn’t a burden, it’s an awakening. Only time will tell if these two lost souls are destined to live their lives in the past, or move forward into the future, together.
Tattoo Kiss was a unique love story, and one that’s based on true events. It was also a satisfying blend of humor and heartbreak. I don’t know why I was so surprised there was so much humor in this book, but its infusion worked well.
Admittedly, I’m never a fan of cheesy love scenes (or accents). With all the “ye” I kept picturing Jackson as a pirate, I couldn’t help it. 😂 But there is a sequel to this book that’s available already. So if you’re anything like me and got sucked into the world of Jackson and Letti, you too might see Tattoo Kiss as a love story that doesn’t easily fade.
Each handling their grief very differently initially has them butting heads. But it isn’t too long before Letti begins to notice how charming the former music man can be, despite her best efforts to think otherwise.
For Jackson, being drawn to Letti isn’t a burden, it’s an awakening. Only time will tell if these two lost souls are destined to live their lives in the past, or move forward into the future, together.
Tattoo Kiss was a unique love story, and one that’s based on true events. It was also a satisfying blend of humor and heartbreak. I don’t know why I was so surprised there was so much humor in this book, but its infusion worked well.
Admittedly, I’m never a fan of cheesy love scenes (or accents). With all the “ye” I kept picturing Jackson as a pirate, I couldn’t help it. 😂 But there is a sequel to this book that’s available already. So if you’re anything like me and got sucked into the world of Jackson and Letti, you too might see Tattoo Kiss as a love story that doesn’t easily fade.
July 22, 2022
Take a deep breath and dive in. I don't think I was really ready for the way Tattoo Kiss would hit me. To describe it as a heavy emotional ride feels a bit of an understatement.
Brown does a fantastic job getting into the mind of main narrator, Letti. Her wit and love of those dear to hear breathes life into the character and endeared me to her. Yet my heart aches for her. Her darkest thoughts gutted me. So many inner (and outer) narratives I recognized in myself, ones I'd never want another to feel—not even a character. She and I have walked different lives, but I felt so seen by Letti.
Then there's Letti and Jack's romance. It's fast-developing and intense. From long looks to simple touches, brace yourself because you're about to be swept up by their story. It's replete with tantalizing spice and tender, heart-melting moments.
I'm looking forward to how these two broken souls will come together in book two.
Brown does a fantastic job getting into the mind of main narrator, Letti. Her wit and love of those dear to hear breathes life into the character and endeared me to her. Yet my heart aches for her. Her darkest thoughts gutted me. So many inner (and outer) narratives I recognized in myself, ones I'd never want another to feel—not even a character. She and I have walked different lives, but I felt so seen by Letti.
Then there's Letti and Jack's romance. It's fast-developing and intense. From long looks to simple touches, brace yourself because you're about to be swept up by their story. It's replete with tantalizing spice and tender, heart-melting moments.
I'm looking forward to how these two broken souls will come together in book two.
July 23, 2022
Tattoo kiss follows our two main characters, Jack and Letti, as they learn who they are people both together and separately. Through every inch of heartbreak and each golden ray of sun.
Both Jack and Letti are real, raw, nitty and gritty. But most importantly, they’re both authentically themselves, even when times get tough.
This story has been there for me when I needed it most.
It is written so beautifully, straight from the heart, and not only can I not wait to read the second book in this duology, but I also can’t wait to see what Sarah puts out next for us all to devour.
☀️Xxx☀️
Both Jack and Letti are real, raw, nitty and gritty. But most importantly, they’re both authentically themselves, even when times get tough.
This story has been there for me when I needed it most.
It is written so beautifully, straight from the heart, and not only can I not wait to read the second book in this duology, but I also can’t wait to see what Sarah puts out next for us all to devour.
☀️Xxx☀️
July 18, 2022
This extraordinary book, these broken souls, this brilliant author, will pull you into this story and not let you go easily. Hang on, for a tumultuous ride as Lettie and Jack, seemingly opposite characters, slowly build a beautiful, soul deep, meant to be forever relationship.
They create, from hurt, pain, suffering and loss, a completely unique, loving, lustful couple that I want to last forever! To be continued in Book 2!
They create, from hurt, pain, suffering and loss, a completely unique, loving, lustful couple that I want to last forever! To be continued in Book 2!
July 13, 2022
Lettie and Jack will walk you through the beginning of your best love, memories of past, the garden of self doubt, all while dancing with the butterflies of getting to know a stranger. You will plant firmly back on your feet in the most down-to-earth truths about life. The Best Thing I’ve Read in I can’t remember how long. I could gush forever about how much I love this story… get ready to connect with these two! This writer knows how to make you feel exactly what you’re reading in every way, you’re going to love it!
July 12, 2022
This is such an incredible story. I was lucky enough to read this as Sarah was writing it and now that I have read it for a second time I didn’t think I could love it anymore, but I do! This is written straight from the heart and will play havoc with all your emotions both Jack and Letti’s character’s are so real and raw, I love them so much! Can’t wait for Tatoo Kiss XX
November 1, 2023
Letti (leticia Helena Ruiz) and Jackson Mackay
We know that Letti is a widow but it seems like her sadness isn’t from her husband dying, she just has PTSD and panic attacks. We know she works from home and has a 12 pound Maine coon named Hercule. She gets a knock on her door and it’s a maintenance man saying her neighbor Bev had a leak and he wants to check her place over and then Hercule gets out and she makes the man hoist her into the tree so she can get her cat. Her friend Joe from her old firm invites her to watch him play at a bar and convinces her to get out of the house. She has a flashback with her husband Kyle and goes outside with a panic attack and smells a cigarette and gives the man shit to find out it’s the repair man. She also finds out his name is Jack and he plays guitar, Joe knows him. He has a leggy blonde hanging all over him the rest of the night and she can’t help but watch. Letti has her weekly call with her therapist and we find out something about her relationship she had 5 years ago is what caused her to spiral and then he left her to handle all of this alone. Was her husband not good to her? She’s out on a run when Jack catches up to her and asks her out for a drink and she denies him, no matter how persistent he is, and when they get back to her house, her moms car is in her driveway. We know that she has a toxic relationship with her mother. She had to basically raise her younger sister Danielle. And her father stayed distant. Her mother came to tell her that 18 year old Danielle is engaged to a man off tinder and that she needs to plan the bachelorette party. We get a flashback that when she told her mom about how Kyle was treating her her mom told her she must have been very bad to deserve to be treated like that. So we know Kyle did something wrong. Joe stops by with food after her mom leaves and has practice with Jack and warns her to stay away from him, that they wouldn’t mesh well. And how he went through something dark a few years ago and everyone thought he’d never play again. Lettie invited herself to joes to step out of her comfort zone but when she gets there she realizes that he’s having people over, band practice. He insists that she stays and then Jack walks in and she gets that feeling that everyone describes in books. He is very direct with her about wanting to take her on a date and get to know her or stand in the rain with her. She doesn’t like this. When she has a moment and decides it’s time to go he chases her to her car and gives her his lucky guitar pick and tells her he’ll need it Friday to play. Jack calls her Eddie because he thought that’s what Joe said her name was. She told him that he doesn’t want to pick her that she’s damaged and he tells her he wants a chance. It starts to rain and she runs outside to get her trash bins but he’s already out there and then he’s standing there with an umbrella inviting her outside and she invites him inside. He asks why she’s no longer a lawyer and she says when they ask you to quit instead of getting fired you take that route and she tells him Joe told her he’s the best guitar player he knows. And he tells her it’s hard to play an instrument when you no longer like music. She realizes how raw they are both being with each other. And then he grabs her feet and asks to move closer to her so he can see her face and they are so close to kissing and she wants it so badly and then his phone goes off. She goes to the bar Friday night and they sit and he tells her how his parents were Scottish hippies, and he guesses her life story. When it’s time for them to play he serenades her and she wants to leave and when she finally tries he stops her and it ends with him twirling her and kissing her on the cheek and she realizes she’s truly fucked for the feelings she has for Jackson Mackay. He finds her outside, her anxiety was too bad for her to drive and he asks if they can go for a walk. He puts a hoodie on her and asks to hold her hand and they walk and then he flops on the ground so they can watch the stars. She tells him she can’t understand why he’d like her that she’s not nice and he tells her shes being nice right now. She tells him she hurts the people she’s supposed to love, like her husband. And she sees a tattoo on Jack and asks what it is and it’s a small kiss like from a fairy. So first tip to the title, tattoo kiss💋And he tells her it’s from someone he loved who died. Letti gets a call from her sister saying they’re picking her up to try on wedding dresses and she wants to borrow the ear rings Letti had worn. When she picks them up she’s brought to a flashback from 2 years ago. When she showed Kyle his phone, and how she caught him cheating. He tells her if she wasn’t such a bitch he could be happy there. And blames her for it. He confesses the woman knows he’s married but he hadn’t been using protection. Lettie had been trying to get pregnant, little did she know she’d never get pregnant. When she’s out with her mom and sister trying on the wedding dresses her sister says she’s not pregnant that that’s not why they’re rushing the wedding and makes a mean comment that just because Lettie can’t get pregnant doesn’t mean she can’t and sends Lettie into a spiral. She goes out with Joe and his friends to a pizza place and Jack and his group are there as well. They play a game sending drinks and napkins back and forth til the end of the night when it’s just them and they sit at the bar together and play truth or dare the drinking version. She finds out the one song he won’t sing is hallelujah, his mom lives in tennesse and his dad is dead. He left Scotland because he blew a record deal being young and came home to take care of his parents. She confesses that her husband cheated on her so when he died she wasn’t as sad as people thought she should be because he left her with that trauma. He asks why she quit being a lawyer and she tells him about the brenner case how her husband had just died and she was on the case and the wife got shot and she was asked to quit before she was fired so she did. She dares him to take her home. After they get home she realizes how scared and nervous she is she hadn’t ever been with anyone but Kyle. He tells her they won’t rush anything and he massages her and she pulls him to the couch where she straddles him and she’s about to kiss him and he tells her they can’t, not in this state, and he leaves. She’s close to tears when she hears a knock and opens the door and he’s there and he’s sorry and he kisses her and tells her to call him and how he’ll be thinking of her and then he’s gone. We get a glimpse of jacks perspective talking about Lettie, his Eddie. And we know he had love for 4 years that he lost, was it a child? The next morning she calls him and he asks if he can pick her up and make her breakfast. He picks her up and takes her back to his place and she realizes he’s who lives in the farmhouse she’s always been curious about. He starts cooking her breakfast and then asks her to help. But it turns into a flour war and then she accidentally hits her head and he’s taking care of her and she cries because no one has ever taken care of her before. And then the eggs burn so he focuses on feeding her. After breakfast they play Mario cart and that turns into slight touches which turns into her on his lap and then making out and she tells him she wants him to touch her and they scramble to get upstairs. He tells her he’s not going to fuck her yet. He makes her cum with his fingers and holds her. She goes to the bathroom and stumbles into a room that looks like a little girls room. And bumps into a framed picture of a little girls kiss and realizes that’s the tattoo. He comes in and she knows him having a daughter isn’t a deal breaker and he says had and she realizes this is his pain. We get a flashback to 6 years ago on October 17 he was playing and Olivia had their baby. She had been cold toward him but he was so excited about this baby. He got to the hospital after she was born and as he held her he named her Grace, he held his heart outside of his body. He takes her into his room and grabs a photo album and shows her his Gracie. She feels so honored he is showing her these pieces. He tells her the day after Grace was born her mom signed over full rights to him that she didn’t want her. He tells her him and Grace had a good 4 years together. And she hugs him and shoulders some of his pain. She asks to go home because she feels like she needs to cry and doesn’t want to do it in front of him. Joe asks her if she’s down for a movie night with the whole crew and she is, Joe has an announcement and she figures it’s that him and Colin are official. Then we get a flashback where her and Joe are messing around at work when she gets a call from her obgyn that her test results are clean but they want her to come in that something looks good and she asks Joe to overlook something on her Brenner case. In present day they have the movie night, her and Jack sneak outside to kiss and then after the movie joe wants to play never have I ever. She ends up hurting her own feelings and thinks she hurt jacks and she leaves. And then that night he’s on her porch and she lets him in and he tucks her into bed and lays next to her. They wake up in the middle of the night and she gives him a hand job til he cums and then they go back to sleep cuddling. He calls and asks if he can take her out at 5. He picks her up and takes her to a small diner he used to take Gracie to. She meets the owners and they’re so sweet. After he tells her to take over and learn how to drive stick shift. When he was driving he sang God love her to her and she knows deep down he meant the I love her part. They end up at a drop off and she has a minor panic attack and tells him she needs to tell him something and understands if he wants to leave. She tells him that she is the reason her husband is dead. That she confronted him on cheating on her and he attacked her and she thought he was going to kill her. He was drunk and she told him he should leave. And he did and 20 miles later he crashed into a tree and died on impact. She didn’t cry over his death. She cried at his funeral because she was in so much physical pain. When he smacked her he ruptured her ear so her ear was in insane pain and her arms were covered in bruises. He holds her and kisses her and fills her with love. And she knows he’s chasing away her hate with love. They end up in the truck. And they know they want to take it farther and she says his house but he begs for 2 more minutes and she’s not sure how long time passes of them making out and him making her cum twice. When they get back to his house he offers her some cherry pie and ends up eating it off her lips and her skin and begging to be able to eat her pussy and she’s told him she’s never had that done before. It’s a life changing experience. They still don’t have sex tho. Back at trinity the band performs and after he drags her to the alley and they are about to have sex when Kevin comes outside and catches them and they make a run for it. Then they go back to her house where they cuddle and when she wakes up he left witbout a goodbye which she knows should be a good thing. He left a white rose and a note and at the bottom he says I love you. He went to see his mom and he’s not sure how long he’ll be gone and they were both dreading this goodbye and they still haven’t technically had sex yet. We get her flashback to her phone call, she had cancer, aggressive cancer. The female doctor was honest with her and told her it would be best to remove everything instead of holding off and risking. When she called and asked her mom to watch Hercule for her why she did this her mom made it about her and how she wanted grand babies. And Lettie would no longer be able to have babies. We get flashbacks of her night in the hospital. How lonely she felt. How Joe was there for her. How they joked about a marriage proposal. And also while she was in the hospital, Gracie died on her 4th birthday. Joe asks Lettie how serious things are and she misses Jack so bad but he’s needed in Tennessee right now. And then he hands her headphones and says it’s hallelujah, from the night Gracie died, the last time he ever sang. Jack had shown up to Joes and asked to use his recording room, he took the room over and just had Joe hit record. He never asked for it after and Joe had held onto it all this time and he felt like now after she confessed her love was a good time for her to hear it. He always was worried about the two of them meeting because he worried they would combust but instead they worked and he was glad for it. She listened to the recording and she felt all of her pain in his words and felt as if he truly understood her. She hadn’t got to tell Jack about her surgery yet. And he’s still in Tennessee. So the book doesn’t get to end with them together together. But the book still ends happily when she realizes how many people love her and begins to realize her worth. Letti truly struggled with wanting to self harm, and not feeling her own self worth and never feeling good enough and her husband had instoked those things into her. Jack came along and tore down her defenses despite being broken himself and showed her how beautiful he thinks she really is. I really loved their love story and how heart felt it was. The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of how unfinished it feels. I know there’s a second book but it didn’t really leave on a cliff hanger it more left me feeling unfinished. I definitely think it’s crazy that the same time Letti was having this procedure done and not being able to bare children was not only Gracie’s birthday but the day she passed away. So there’s some crazy connections to that. And also the tattoo kiss is from Gracie’s kiss in that frame that Letti had seen and he got it tattooed on him and when she saw it she had said it looked like a fairy had dusted him with a kiss so I wonder if there will be more details about the name and the link to that and the linking to their date. I like that this book never had them break up or fight or anything. Like when they had disputes they were solved immediately. And he’s in Tennessee but they’re still happy just separated painfully at the moment.
We know that Letti is a widow but it seems like her sadness isn’t from her husband dying, she just has PTSD and panic attacks. We know she works from home and has a 12 pound Maine coon named Hercule. She gets a knock on her door and it’s a maintenance man saying her neighbor Bev had a leak and he wants to check her place over and then Hercule gets out and she makes the man hoist her into the tree so she can get her cat. Her friend Joe from her old firm invites her to watch him play at a bar and convinces her to get out of the house. She has a flashback with her husband Kyle and goes outside with a panic attack and smells a cigarette and gives the man shit to find out it’s the repair man. She also finds out his name is Jack and he plays guitar, Joe knows him. He has a leggy blonde hanging all over him the rest of the night and she can’t help but watch. Letti has her weekly call with her therapist and we find out something about her relationship she had 5 years ago is what caused her to spiral and then he left her to handle all of this alone. Was her husband not good to her? She’s out on a run when Jack catches up to her and asks her out for a drink and she denies him, no matter how persistent he is, and when they get back to her house, her moms car is in her driveway. We know that she has a toxic relationship with her mother. She had to basically raise her younger sister Danielle. And her father stayed distant. Her mother came to tell her that 18 year old Danielle is engaged to a man off tinder and that she needs to plan the bachelorette party. We get a flashback that when she told her mom about how Kyle was treating her her mom told her she must have been very bad to deserve to be treated like that. So we know Kyle did something wrong. Joe stops by with food after her mom leaves and has practice with Jack and warns her to stay away from him, that they wouldn’t mesh well. And how he went through something dark a few years ago and everyone thought he’d never play again. Lettie invited herself to joes to step out of her comfort zone but when she gets there she realizes that he’s having people over, band practice. He insists that she stays and then Jack walks in and she gets that feeling that everyone describes in books. He is very direct with her about wanting to take her on a date and get to know her or stand in the rain with her. She doesn’t like this. When she has a moment and decides it’s time to go he chases her to her car and gives her his lucky guitar pick and tells her he’ll need it Friday to play. Jack calls her Eddie because he thought that’s what Joe said her name was. She told him that he doesn’t want to pick her that she’s damaged and he tells her he wants a chance. It starts to rain and she runs outside to get her trash bins but he’s already out there and then he’s standing there with an umbrella inviting her outside and she invites him inside. He asks why she’s no longer a lawyer and she says when they ask you to quit instead of getting fired you take that route and she tells him Joe told her he’s the best guitar player he knows. And he tells her it’s hard to play an instrument when you no longer like music. She realizes how raw they are both being with each other. And then he grabs her feet and asks to move closer to her so he can see her face and they are so close to kissing and she wants it so badly and then his phone goes off. She goes to the bar Friday night and they sit and he tells her how his parents were Scottish hippies, and he guesses her life story. When it’s time for them to play he serenades her and she wants to leave and when she finally tries he stops her and it ends with him twirling her and kissing her on the cheek and she realizes she’s truly fucked for the feelings she has for Jackson Mackay. He finds her outside, her anxiety was too bad for her to drive and he asks if they can go for a walk. He puts a hoodie on her and asks to hold her hand and they walk and then he flops on the ground so they can watch the stars. She tells him she can’t understand why he’d like her that she’s not nice and he tells her shes being nice right now. She tells him she hurts the people she’s supposed to love, like her husband. And she sees a tattoo on Jack and asks what it is and it’s a small kiss like from a fairy. So first tip to the title, tattoo kiss💋And he tells her it’s from someone he loved who died. Letti gets a call from her sister saying they’re picking her up to try on wedding dresses and she wants to borrow the ear rings Letti had worn. When she picks them up she’s brought to a flashback from 2 years ago. When she showed Kyle his phone, and how she caught him cheating. He tells her if she wasn’t such a bitch he could be happy there. And blames her for it. He confesses the woman knows he’s married but he hadn’t been using protection. Lettie had been trying to get pregnant, little did she know she’d never get pregnant. When she’s out with her mom and sister trying on the wedding dresses her sister says she’s not pregnant that that’s not why they’re rushing the wedding and makes a mean comment that just because Lettie can’t get pregnant doesn’t mean she can’t and sends Lettie into a spiral. She goes out with Joe and his friends to a pizza place and Jack and his group are there as well. They play a game sending drinks and napkins back and forth til the end of the night when it’s just them and they sit at the bar together and play truth or dare the drinking version. She finds out the one song he won’t sing is hallelujah, his mom lives in tennesse and his dad is dead. He left Scotland because he blew a record deal being young and came home to take care of his parents. She confesses that her husband cheated on her so when he died she wasn’t as sad as people thought she should be because he left her with that trauma. He asks why she quit being a lawyer and she tells him about the brenner case how her husband had just died and she was on the case and the wife got shot and she was asked to quit before she was fired so she did. She dares him to take her home. After they get home she realizes how scared and nervous she is she hadn’t ever been with anyone but Kyle. He tells her they won’t rush anything and he massages her and she pulls him to the couch where she straddles him and she’s about to kiss him and he tells her they can’t, not in this state, and he leaves. She’s close to tears when she hears a knock and opens the door and he’s there and he’s sorry and he kisses her and tells her to call him and how he’ll be thinking of her and then he’s gone. We get a glimpse of jacks perspective talking about Lettie, his Eddie. And we know he had love for 4 years that he lost, was it a child? The next morning she calls him and he asks if he can pick her up and make her breakfast. He picks her up and takes her back to his place and she realizes he’s who lives in the farmhouse she’s always been curious about. He starts cooking her breakfast and then asks her to help. But it turns into a flour war and then she accidentally hits her head and he’s taking care of her and she cries because no one has ever taken care of her before. And then the eggs burn so he focuses on feeding her. After breakfast they play Mario cart and that turns into slight touches which turns into her on his lap and then making out and she tells him she wants him to touch her and they scramble to get upstairs. He tells her he’s not going to fuck her yet. He makes her cum with his fingers and holds her. She goes to the bathroom and stumbles into a room that looks like a little girls room. And bumps into a framed picture of a little girls kiss and realizes that’s the tattoo. He comes in and she knows him having a daughter isn’t a deal breaker and he says had and she realizes this is his pain. We get a flashback to 6 years ago on October 17 he was playing and Olivia had their baby. She had been cold toward him but he was so excited about this baby. He got to the hospital after she was born and as he held her he named her Grace, he held his heart outside of his body. He takes her into his room and grabs a photo album and shows her his Gracie. She feels so honored he is showing her these pieces. He tells her the day after Grace was born her mom signed over full rights to him that she didn’t want her. He tells her him and Grace had a good 4 years together. And she hugs him and shoulders some of his pain. She asks to go home because she feels like she needs to cry and doesn’t want to do it in front of him. Joe asks her if she’s down for a movie night with the whole crew and she is, Joe has an announcement and she figures it’s that him and Colin are official. Then we get a flashback where her and Joe are messing around at work when she gets a call from her obgyn that her test results are clean but they want her to come in that something looks good and she asks Joe to overlook something on her Brenner case. In present day they have the movie night, her and Jack sneak outside to kiss and then after the movie joe wants to play never have I ever. She ends up hurting her own feelings and thinks she hurt jacks and she leaves. And then that night he’s on her porch and she lets him in and he tucks her into bed and lays next to her. They wake up in the middle of the night and she gives him a hand job til he cums and then they go back to sleep cuddling. He calls and asks if he can take her out at 5. He picks her up and takes her to a small diner he used to take Gracie to. She meets the owners and they’re so sweet. After he tells her to take over and learn how to drive stick shift. When he was driving he sang God love her to her and she knows deep down he meant the I love her part. They end up at a drop off and she has a minor panic attack and tells him she needs to tell him something and understands if he wants to leave. She tells him that she is the reason her husband is dead. That she confronted him on cheating on her and he attacked her and she thought he was going to kill her. He was drunk and she told him he should leave. And he did and 20 miles later he crashed into a tree and died on impact. She didn’t cry over his death. She cried at his funeral because she was in so much physical pain. When he smacked her he ruptured her ear so her ear was in insane pain and her arms were covered in bruises. He holds her and kisses her and fills her with love. And she knows he’s chasing away her hate with love. They end up in the truck. And they know they want to take it farther and she says his house but he begs for 2 more minutes and she’s not sure how long time passes of them making out and him making her cum twice. When they get back to his house he offers her some cherry pie and ends up eating it off her lips and her skin and begging to be able to eat her pussy and she’s told him she’s never had that done before. It’s a life changing experience. They still don’t have sex tho. Back at trinity the band performs and after he drags her to the alley and they are about to have sex when Kevin comes outside and catches them and they make a run for it. Then they go back to her house where they cuddle and when she wakes up he left witbout a goodbye which she knows should be a good thing. He left a white rose and a note and at the bottom he says I love you. He went to see his mom and he’s not sure how long he’ll be gone and they were both dreading this goodbye and they still haven’t technically had sex yet. We get her flashback to her phone call, she had cancer, aggressive cancer. The female doctor was honest with her and told her it would be best to remove everything instead of holding off and risking. When she called and asked her mom to watch Hercule for her why she did this her mom made it about her and how she wanted grand babies. And Lettie would no longer be able to have babies. We get flashbacks of her night in the hospital. How lonely she felt. How Joe was there for her. How they joked about a marriage proposal. And also while she was in the hospital, Gracie died on her 4th birthday. Joe asks Lettie how serious things are and she misses Jack so bad but he’s needed in Tennessee right now. And then he hands her headphones and says it’s hallelujah, from the night Gracie died, the last time he ever sang. Jack had shown up to Joes and asked to use his recording room, he took the room over and just had Joe hit record. He never asked for it after and Joe had held onto it all this time and he felt like now after she confessed her love was a good time for her to hear it. He always was worried about the two of them meeting because he worried they would combust but instead they worked and he was glad for it. She listened to the recording and she felt all of her pain in his words and felt as if he truly understood her. She hadn’t got to tell Jack about her surgery yet. And he’s still in Tennessee. So the book doesn’t get to end with them together together. But the book still ends happily when she realizes how many people love her and begins to realize her worth. Letti truly struggled with wanting to self harm, and not feeling her own self worth and never feeling good enough and her husband had instoked those things into her. Jack came along and tore down her defenses despite being broken himself and showed her how beautiful he thinks she really is. I really loved their love story and how heart felt it was. The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of how unfinished it feels. I know there’s a second book but it didn’t really leave on a cliff hanger it more left me feeling unfinished. I definitely think it’s crazy that the same time Letti was having this procedure done and not being able to bare children was not only Gracie’s birthday but the day she passed away. So there’s some crazy connections to that. And also the tattoo kiss is from Gracie’s kiss in that frame that Letti had seen and he got it tattooed on him and when she saw it she had said it looked like a fairy had dusted him with a kiss so I wonder if there will be more details about the name and the link to that and the linking to their date. I like that this book never had them break up or fight or anything. Like when they had disputes they were solved immediately. And he’s in Tennessee but they’re still happy just separated painfully at the moment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2022
I love this book. Love, love, love it.
Really, I can’t recommend it enough.
The characters, the story, the writing, the pacing, everything. It’s just a wonderful book.
Not going to lie, Tattoo Kiss x deals with a boat load of issues. Heavy, devastating, life-altering issues.
But Sarah Brown does so with an incredibly deft hand, especially for a first time author. And whist the subject matter may be grim, the tone of the book is almost hopeful. There is a levity to it that is unexpected, and although I cried reading this, I also laughed, sniggered and snorted more than I have reading a book in a very long time.
I don’t want to divulge much of the plot, so I won’t go into detail. But to me, the book is essentially about grief, trauma and mental illness, and the different methods people use to cope with them. All of which is wrapped up in a truly beautiful, touching, hilarious and ridiculously sexy romance.
In a nutshell, it’s about two broken people who’s lives are on hold and stuck in different ways, and how they find a way to start living again.
And it’s hot as hell.
*winks suggestively*
And don’t worry, whilst this is part one of a duo, there isn’t toooooo much of a cliffhanger. It ends at what feels like an organic place to stop, not like someone tore your book in half and ran off with the rest of it.
Now, I could go on and on about how absurdly awesome Jackson ‘Jack’ Mackay is, because… well… he is.
He is a Scottish giant of a man, who can sing and play the guitar like a fiend. He has a devilishly naughty sense of humour, is sex on legs and is both an incredibly strong and an incredibly vulnerable man, who has been through something that no one should ever have to go through.
And he’s Scottish.
Scoooooottish.
Yep.
Scottish.
And whilst I have definitely fallen for him and his guitar pick, it is our heroine/protagonist who might just be one my favourite fictional characters of all time.
Letti is not ok.
She has a whole Titanic’s worth of issues.
(And an enormous, hell-beast of a cat-dog who I am not-so-secretly in love with)
Letti has been through years of crap, culminating in one enormous cluster of crap, that steamrolled her life and changed it, and her, forever. Throw in mental health issues, PTSD, and a family that makes you want to choose violence (do not get me started, I may cut someone…) and the poor girl needs the biggest of metaphorical hugs.
But fear not, gentle readers. Our intrepid author does not fall into the damaged-heroine stereotype trap.
Letti is amazing. She is snarky and rude and hilarious and heartbreaking and vulnerable and strong and awesome.
She is all the things.
Her voice is so real, and the depiction of her mental health issues is, as someone who suffers from them too, accurate, honest, touching and brave. Reading this book made me feel a lot less alone. And hopeful.
So thank you Sarah Brown. You’re book is wonderful, and I wait with bated breath for part two.
Seriously people. Stop reading the reviews. Go read Tattoo Kiss instead. You can thank me later…
Really, I can’t recommend it enough.
The characters, the story, the writing, the pacing, everything. It’s just a wonderful book.
Not going to lie, Tattoo Kiss x deals with a boat load of issues. Heavy, devastating, life-altering issues.
But Sarah Brown does so with an incredibly deft hand, especially for a first time author. And whist the subject matter may be grim, the tone of the book is almost hopeful. There is a levity to it that is unexpected, and although I cried reading this, I also laughed, sniggered and snorted more than I have reading a book in a very long time.
I don’t want to divulge much of the plot, so I won’t go into detail. But to me, the book is essentially about grief, trauma and mental illness, and the different methods people use to cope with them. All of which is wrapped up in a truly beautiful, touching, hilarious and ridiculously sexy romance.
In a nutshell, it’s about two broken people who’s lives are on hold and stuck in different ways, and how they find a way to start living again.
And it’s hot as hell.
*winks suggestively*
And don’t worry, whilst this is part one of a duo, there isn’t toooooo much of a cliffhanger. It ends at what feels like an organic place to stop, not like someone tore your book in half and ran off with the rest of it.
Now, I could go on and on about how absurdly awesome Jackson ‘Jack’ Mackay is, because… well… he is.
He is a Scottish giant of a man, who can sing and play the guitar like a fiend. He has a devilishly naughty sense of humour, is sex on legs and is both an incredibly strong and an incredibly vulnerable man, who has been through something that no one should ever have to go through.
And he’s Scottish.
Scoooooottish.
Yep.
Scottish.
And whilst I have definitely fallen for him and his guitar pick, it is our heroine/protagonist who might just be one my favourite fictional characters of all time.
Letti is not ok.
She has a whole Titanic’s worth of issues.
(And an enormous, hell-beast of a cat-dog who I am not-so-secretly in love with)
Letti has been through years of crap, culminating in one enormous cluster of crap, that steamrolled her life and changed it, and her, forever. Throw in mental health issues, PTSD, and a family that makes you want to choose violence (do not get me started, I may cut someone…) and the poor girl needs the biggest of metaphorical hugs.
But fear not, gentle readers. Our intrepid author does not fall into the damaged-heroine stereotype trap.
Letti is amazing. She is snarky and rude and hilarious and heartbreaking and vulnerable and strong and awesome.
She is all the things.
Her voice is so real, and the depiction of her mental health issues is, as someone who suffers from them too, accurate, honest, touching and brave. Reading this book made me feel a lot less alone. And hopeful.
So thank you Sarah Brown. You’re book is wonderful, and I wait with bated breath for part two.
Seriously people. Stop reading the reviews. Go read Tattoo Kiss instead. You can thank me later…
October 8, 2022
A heart wrenching but beautiful love story...
If there’s a book that deserves more than 10 stars this year, it needs to go to Tattoo Kiss by Sarah Brown. What spectacular writing and storytelling we get in this debut novel.
Thank you so much to @katerockbooktours for having me on this book tour and journey of love and understanding. This is a love story come to life and I absolutely loved every single page and word written in Tattoo Kiss x. This is soul searching and life altering love like you haven’t read before.
Jack and Letti were soul mates before they even met. Their lives were meant to be even though they had not met yet, If that makes any sense. In my mind, it makes total sense. It is not what you wanted, but really what you needed in your life. This is exactly what these two souls are.
Jack is a musician who lost his appetite for music and Letti has just had it rough with heartbreak and loss. It is best to go in blind, which is what I did with this one.
A must read for those that love truly angsty romances....but have those tissues close by. This story will leave lasting impressions on your heart and soul!!
This is a story that will be impossible for you to put down and you will crave the next half like you might crave your favorite dessert! I read this in 2 days tops and when I tell you that I didn’t even stop to eat from the moment I began, I am not exaggerating. This is a true love story, am not sure if it is Sarah Brown’s personal history, but I just could not read fast enough. And this is a debut novel? Can’t wait to see what else she will write next!
There are so many things that I want to mention but I don’t want to give away any more details about this story. This is one of those stories that you want to be surprised by. There is a lot more to it than meets the eye. I can feel it. It isn’t even the ending/cliffhanger that had my heart hammering like crazy; it was more the anticipation of what comes next with Tattoo Kiss xx!
Put all of that together with the writing skills of Sarah Brown and you have yourself a compelling and addictive story that will have you glued to your kindle until the end!
I really hope @passionflix picks this book up for a movie. It would be a box office hit!! #katerockbooktours
If there’s a book that deserves more than 10 stars this year, it needs to go to Tattoo Kiss by Sarah Brown. What spectacular writing and storytelling we get in this debut novel.
Thank you so much to @katerockbooktours for having me on this book tour and journey of love and understanding. This is a love story come to life and I absolutely loved every single page and word written in Tattoo Kiss x. This is soul searching and life altering love like you haven’t read before.
Jack and Letti were soul mates before they even met. Their lives were meant to be even though they had not met yet, If that makes any sense. In my mind, it makes total sense. It is not what you wanted, but really what you needed in your life. This is exactly what these two souls are.
Jack is a musician who lost his appetite for music and Letti has just had it rough with heartbreak and loss. It is best to go in blind, which is what I did with this one.
A must read for those that love truly angsty romances....but have those tissues close by. This story will leave lasting impressions on your heart and soul!!
This is a story that will be impossible for you to put down and you will crave the next half like you might crave your favorite dessert! I read this in 2 days tops and when I tell you that I didn’t even stop to eat from the moment I began, I am not exaggerating. This is a true love story, am not sure if it is Sarah Brown’s personal history, but I just could not read fast enough. And this is a debut novel? Can’t wait to see what else she will write next!
There are so many things that I want to mention but I don’t want to give away any more details about this story. This is one of those stories that you want to be surprised by. There is a lot more to it than meets the eye. I can feel it. It isn’t even the ending/cliffhanger that had my heart hammering like crazy; it was more the anticipation of what comes next with Tattoo Kiss xx!
Put all of that together with the writing skills of Sarah Brown and you have yourself a compelling and addictive story that will have you glued to your kindle until the end!
I really hope @passionflix picks this book up for a movie. It would be a box office hit!! #katerockbooktours
January 29, 2023
“My pain fits into the palm of Jack’s hand and holding on to him feels like freedom.”
This book was truly a rollercoaster with a lot of lows, with some daring highs. It took me a while to get into it, but once I was in, I was IN deep.
Lettie lives her life in a pattern, like Groundhog Day, on repeat. It’s how she copes with PTSD and her panic attacks. It’s how she copes with her life. Don’t be mistaken, this isn’t some frail character in a book, she’s a total badass for living her life one day at a time while heartache and grief attempt to drown her.
Jack believes in living life deeply and by not taking it too seriously, as he says, “s’only life after all. None of us are leavin’ it alive, anyway.” He’s experienced one of the most devasting heartaches a person can experience, but he picked himself up and started living life too the fullest, but not wholly, not until she comes into his life.
It happens quickly. Them getting tangled up with one another. It also happens so slowly at the same time. They fall fast, but take it slow. This book was such a whirlwind.
I texted my bestie during the final chapter in a panic about it being the final chapter. I checked out the sequel in Kindle Unlimited before I even finished the first. How DARE a book end like this? I cannot handle it! Must read the next one instantly.
TW: infertility, hysterectomy, death, suicidal ideation, domestic violence.
This book was truly a rollercoaster with a lot of lows, with some daring highs. It took me a while to get into it, but once I was in, I was IN deep.
Lettie lives her life in a pattern, like Groundhog Day, on repeat. It’s how she copes with PTSD and her panic attacks. It’s how she copes with her life. Don’t be mistaken, this isn’t some frail character in a book, she’s a total badass for living her life one day at a time while heartache and grief attempt to drown her.
Jack believes in living life deeply and by not taking it too seriously, as he says, “s’only life after all. None of us are leavin’ it alive, anyway.” He’s experienced one of the most devasting heartaches a person can experience, but he picked himself up and started living life too the fullest, but not wholly, not until she comes into his life.
It happens quickly. Them getting tangled up with one another. It also happens so slowly at the same time. They fall fast, but take it slow. This book was such a whirlwind.
I texted my bestie during the final chapter in a panic about it being the final chapter. I checked out the sequel in Kindle Unlimited before I even finished the first. How DARE a book end like this? I cannot handle it! Must read the next one instantly.
TW: infertility, hysterectomy, death, suicidal ideation, domestic violence.
January 26, 2023
“For the first time, living feels like breathing again and not the ragged gasps of death tearing my chest with the reality of my own existence.”
Thank you to katieandbreypa and
Sarah Brown for giving me this ebook in exchange for my honest review!
One fall night, Scottish singer Jackson Mackay loses everything he ever loved in a horrible tragedy. At that same moment, in another wing of that same hospital, Letti Ruiz gasps awake after a life-altering surgery leaves her a shell of the high profile attorney she once was. Their lives couldn’t be more different. A series of seemingly perfectly orchestrated imperfections leads them to each other and kindles a fire where their twin souls unite. Will their damaged hearts shatter the other? What happens when half-truths and brokenness rip apart a love that should weather any storm?
*Based on a true story.
This is not a romance, it is a love story about two broken people finding each other and fully understanding the wounds they both have on their souls. This book made me laugh and broke my heart at the same time. There were parts of both characters’ grief that resonated with me; I felt like I could feel their pain as if it was my own.the writing was beautiful and poetic in all the right places. I really enjoyed this book. I gave “Tattoo Kiss” 5 ⭐️s.
Thank you to katieandbreypa and
Sarah Brown for giving me this ebook in exchange for my honest review!
One fall night, Scottish singer Jackson Mackay loses everything he ever loved in a horrible tragedy. At that same moment, in another wing of that same hospital, Letti Ruiz gasps awake after a life-altering surgery leaves her a shell of the high profile attorney she once was. Their lives couldn’t be more different. A series of seemingly perfectly orchestrated imperfections leads them to each other and kindles a fire where their twin souls unite. Will their damaged hearts shatter the other? What happens when half-truths and brokenness rip apart a love that should weather any storm?
*Based on a true story.
This is not a romance, it is a love story about two broken people finding each other and fully understanding the wounds they both have on their souls. This book made me laugh and broke my heart at the same time. There were parts of both characters’ grief that resonated with me; I felt like I could feel their pain as if it was my own.the writing was beautiful and poetic in all the right places. I really enjoyed this book. I gave “Tattoo Kiss” 5 ⭐️s.
February 9, 2023
4.5 star
Tattoo Kiss X is my first book by author Sarah Brown. I love Sarah’s writing style and the way this story flowed. The story follows the female main character and narrator, Letti. Sarah writes her voice in such a way that she is completely realistic and relatable, and her voice is that of a close friend. You cannot help but struggle with her and share her pain, anxieties, and fears. There is a lot of heartwrenching and deeply emotional trauma that this book unfolds, not only with Letti but also with Jack.
Jack, Jack, Jack. Apparently, Sarah Brown went and dug around in my head, looking for the perfect example of a man. Scottish and the size of a mountain. Handsome, with the voice of a god and a musician to boot. Looks aside, it was vulnerability and capacity for love that won me over.
Together, these two broken people start to heal and live again through incredible banter, witty comebacks, and the undeniable connection they share. This isn’t a traditional romance; I believe their souls were searching for each other.
I don’t want to give away the plot, but I do encourage you to read it. It’s worth it.
Thank you to Katie and Brey PA, and Sarah Brown for providing me with a digital copy of Tattoo Kiss x in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tattoo Kiss X is my first book by author Sarah Brown. I love Sarah’s writing style and the way this story flowed. The story follows the female main character and narrator, Letti. Sarah writes her voice in such a way that she is completely realistic and relatable, and her voice is that of a close friend. You cannot help but struggle with her and share her pain, anxieties, and fears. There is a lot of heartwrenching and deeply emotional trauma that this book unfolds, not only with Letti but also with Jack.
Jack, Jack, Jack. Apparently, Sarah Brown went and dug around in my head, looking for the perfect example of a man. Scottish and the size of a mountain. Handsome, with the voice of a god and a musician to boot. Looks aside, it was vulnerability and capacity for love that won me over.
Together, these two broken people start to heal and live again through incredible banter, witty comebacks, and the undeniable connection they share. This isn’t a traditional romance; I believe their souls were searching for each other.
I don’t want to give away the plot, but I do encourage you to read it. It’s worth it.
Thank you to Katie and Brey PA, and Sarah Brown for providing me with a digital copy of Tattoo Kiss x in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 7, 2023
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: contemporary romance
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼♀️: moderate/fast
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: CoHo, Jennifer Hartmann
𝙏𝙒 ⚠️: panic attacks, fertility, loss
I don’t have the words to articulate how powerful and gut wrenching this book is. I feel like it affected me viscerally, and it was a beautiful story.
Letti’s voice was unbelievable relatable. She was sarcastic and honest and raw - her struggle with mental health and dark humor were authentic and believable. I loved the way this book was written. Very poetic. I felt connected to Letti the entire time- which is rare for me in a book, especially because we really don’t have anything in common.
We gotta talk about the sexual and emotional tension. These two have amazing chemistry - but the slow burn almost killed me 🥵 probably some of the best slow burn spicy scenes I’ve ever read.
It’s a love story, definitely, but it’s also a story of trauma and healing.
I cannot wait for the second book.
👏🏼👏🏼 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 to readers who enjoy romance with heavy emotional components.
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: contemporary romance
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼♀️: moderate/fast
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: CoHo, Jennifer Hartmann
𝙏𝙒 ⚠️: panic attacks, fertility, loss
I don’t have the words to articulate how powerful and gut wrenching this book is. I feel like it affected me viscerally, and it was a beautiful story.
Letti’s voice was unbelievable relatable. She was sarcastic and honest and raw - her struggle with mental health and dark humor were authentic and believable. I loved the way this book was written. Very poetic. I felt connected to Letti the entire time- which is rare for me in a book, especially because we really don’t have anything in common.
We gotta talk about the sexual and emotional tension. These two have amazing chemistry - but the slow burn almost killed me 🥵 probably some of the best slow burn spicy scenes I’ve ever read.
It’s a love story, definitely, but it’s also a story of trauma and healing.
I cannot wait for the second book.
👏🏼👏🏼 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 to readers who enjoy romance with heavy emotional components.
February 10, 2023
Tattoo Kiss is available now in Paperback and eBook
⭐️⭐️⭐⭐⭐️ Book Review
“He is my sun in the darkness and now that I’ve seen his light, I don’t care for any other ever again.”
Tattoo Kiss is a contemporary romance written based on a true story. Jackson Mackay hasn’t sung in ages. He just doesn’t have it in him following the death of whom he held most dear. Following a surgery that left Letti Ruiz heartbroken she is attempting to pick up the broken pieces of what is now her life. These two beautiful broken souls meet, begin to fall in love, and learn to overcome trauma together.
Tattoo Kiss is a beautiful story full of loss, grief, healing, redemption, love and lust. The amount of emotion felt when reading this novel is unexplainable. Sarah Brown is known for writing novels that will break your heart and put it back together again. Tattoo Kiss will do exactly that. You won’t want to read this one without a box of Kleenex. I can’t wait to read the second installment to this series.
⭐️⭐️⭐⭐⭐️ Book Review
“He is my sun in the darkness and now that I’ve seen his light, I don’t care for any other ever again.”
Tattoo Kiss is a contemporary romance written based on a true story. Jackson Mackay hasn’t sung in ages. He just doesn’t have it in him following the death of whom he held most dear. Following a surgery that left Letti Ruiz heartbroken she is attempting to pick up the broken pieces of what is now her life. These two beautiful broken souls meet, begin to fall in love, and learn to overcome trauma together.
Tattoo Kiss is a beautiful story full of loss, grief, healing, redemption, love and lust. The amount of emotion felt when reading this novel is unexplainable. Sarah Brown is known for writing novels that will break your heart and put it back together again. Tattoo Kiss will do exactly that. You won’t want to read this one without a box of Kleenex. I can’t wait to read the second installment to this series.
October 12, 2022
Oh my LORD. This book. I was drawn in by the fantastic cover and promise of a dark and edgy contemporary romance and boy was I absolutely drawn in from the very first chapter! I cannot believe this is Sarah Brown's first book and am so excited to read the second one coming out in a few weeks. If you've been in a reading slump, take a chance on Tattoo Kiss!
Brown's writing ability blew me away and completely overshadows anything I've seen before. Her style is fresh and engaging and the story hooked me completely until the very end. I need more! And the spice! Good LORD. It had me blushing and having to leave the room where I was reading it with my family present haha. It's that good.
Run! Go get a copy today and discover this absolute gem of a brand new author that I'm positive will take the romance world by storm. Sarah Brown IS the next big thing. I cannot wait for more and to watch her career boom.
Brown's writing ability blew me away and completely overshadows anything I've seen before. Her style is fresh and engaging and the story hooked me completely until the very end. I need more! And the spice! Good LORD. It had me blushing and having to leave the room where I was reading it with my family present haha. It's that good.
Run! Go get a copy today and discover this absolute gem of a brand new author that I'm positive will take the romance world by storm. Sarah Brown IS the next big thing. I cannot wait for more and to watch her career boom.
October 23, 2022
I loved this story. It pulls you in from the beginning. Letti tells us her story but not all at once, revealing pieces as the chapters go by. Letti is my favourite - she is funny and sarcastic, broken and hopeful and entirely relatable. She has experienced so much trauma and loss and is reluctant to trust. Jack has his own trauma and loss and dealt with it in a much different way. When he meets Letti, his world changes. This a slow burn done perfectly. The leisurely pace let me sit back and just enjoy Letti and Jack. Brown does a beautiful job approaching these difficult topics and makes this story real. It hit me in a way that I was not prepared for. Sweet, heartbreaking and compelling - I cannot say enough about this book. I will anxiously be awaiting book two.
Trigger Warning - death of a spouse, PTSD, abuse, suicidal thoughts, loss
Thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours for providing my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warning - death of a spouse, PTSD, abuse, suicidal thoughts, loss
Thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours for providing my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read
October 19, 2022DNF @ 59%
This was a rough one. Almost quit after the first three chapters. It was written so oddly… the author couldn’t stop referencing name brand things or famous people… it was distracting and over the top (think manic CW show scripts… almost like Gilmore Girls level of rapid fire chatter).
There were a lot of inconsistencies that I think may be intentional but I’m also worried are just poor editing. I can’t stand reading the Scottish accent. Also while reading I assumed this book was set in the UK. Lots of signs point that way but then we’re apparently in the Midwest.
So much angst from both of them…. The mental health issues… I read one intimate scene between them and did not like it… this is just not for me.
This was a rough one. Almost quit after the first three chapters. It was written so oddly… the author couldn’t stop referencing name brand things or famous people… it was distracting and over the top (think manic CW show scripts… almost like Gilmore Girls level of rapid fire chatter).
There were a lot of inconsistencies that I think may be intentional but I’m also worried are just poor editing. I can’t stand reading the Scottish accent. Also while reading I assumed this book was set in the UK. Lots of signs point that way but then we’re apparently in the Midwest.
So much angst from both of them…. The mental health issues… I read one intimate scene between them and did not like it… this is just not for me.
November 4, 2022
This book was VERY open door so if that's not your thing...beware
BUT, I loved it. I loved that we get to see into the mind of our MC Lettie -her anxieties and her rage. There is great mental health talk with her therapist.
Both Lettie and Jack are broken people. They both have been handed heavy burdens in life. I won't give them away but I will say these two find in each other- comfort, vulnerability and ability to heal each other's souls.
Once they decide to see what they could be together, the chemistry is electric and has so much fire and sexiness to it. The sexual tension is just so palpable when they are together.
I can't wait to see where the next book takes these two.
BUT, I loved it. I loved that we get to see into the mind of our MC Lettie -her anxieties and her rage. There is great mental health talk with her therapist.
Both Lettie and Jack are broken people. They both have been handed heavy burdens in life. I won't give them away but I will say these two find in each other- comfort, vulnerability and ability to heal each other's souls.
Once they decide to see what they could be together, the chemistry is electric and has so much fire and sexiness to it. The sexual tension is just so palpable when they are together.
I can't wait to see where the next book takes these two.
January 18, 2023
Have a box of tissues at the ready for this book. This story brings both excruciating pain and copious amounts of love. Lettis is a character full of anxiety which jumps off the page at you. She can show vulnerability and also is able to hide her feelings from view.
Jackson makes you fall in love with him from the first word and the emotional rollercoaster as to whether these 2 soulmates will find each other will be found in book 2.
Sarah writes such multidimensional characters that really make you feel each emotion as it comes off the page.
Can’t wait to read the conclusion in the second part of this duology.
January 24, 2023
Tattoo Kiss x Book 1 x
Author: Sarah Brown
Genre/Trope: Enemies to lovers/second chance romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️
This book is a heart wrenching, stab you in the heart multiple times, but oh so beautiful and will keep you wanting to read the next and the next page of this love story of Jack and Letti.
The writing is beautifully written and so detailed to what these two characters are feeling and experiencing. You can feel their emotions (their pain, joy, heart ache and love!).
I read this book in two days. I could not put it down!
Jack and Letti are soulmates but I won’t spoil about how they are. This story is truly angsty, but so so so good!!!
This story is impossible to put down and will leave you craving the next half of Jack and Lettie’s love story in Tattoo Kiss x Book Two x
Author: Sarah Brown
Genre/Trope: Enemies to lovers/second chance romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️
This book is a heart wrenching, stab you in the heart multiple times, but oh so beautiful and will keep you wanting to read the next and the next page of this love story of Jack and Letti.
The writing is beautifully written and so detailed to what these two characters are feeling and experiencing. You can feel their emotions (their pain, joy, heart ache and love!).
I read this book in two days. I could not put it down!
Jack and Letti are soulmates but I won’t spoil about how they are. This story is truly angsty, but so so so good!!!
This story is impossible to put down and will leave you craving the next half of Jack and Lettie’s love story in Tattoo Kiss x Book Two x
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