GRR Reviews Realism: Sugar and Spice, Ink by Evan Grace

Mona is a single mom with lavender hair and tattoos. No surprise, as she and her two sisters run their own tattoo shop known for intricate ink designs. She was surprised to find a summons from the pre-school... it seems that her daughter Iris, had kissed a boy, Max. Or was it vice versa? At school, she met Max's father, Joaquin, who's rich and handsome... But she had experience with rich and handsome guys... who are entitled jerks. After all, that's how she got Iris. But after a while, it's clear that Joaquin is nothing like her ex, and perhaps, they can come to an agreement... some NSA sex. But when Mona's ex (who's married with children and more on the way) wanted to reconnect with Iris, what should Mona do? And what can Joaquin do to help?

Okay, sex is hot, and the two certainly have chemistry and are good with each other AND each other's kids. In fact, they make a great couple. But the darkest hour was the "sensitive ears, fragile ego" trope where she ran away before hearing everything. And even the "evil ex" turned out to be pretty pathetic, despite making Iris very upset.  4/5

NOTE: If you want a single parents dating with a lighter mood, I recommend The Parent Pact by Laurie Kellogg.

GRR Reviews One Percent of You by Michelle Gross

Hadley thought she had a perfect family, with Lucy and another on the way. Until she was betrayed. Determined to make her own way, she was surprised at someone moved into the house next to her apartment. But he's big, gruff, tattooed, and judgemental. She can see his disdain for an "obvious" single mom (probably on dole and food stamps). It didn't help when Lucy kept calling him "demon guy" (well, his tattoos are of demons and skulls...)  His name is Elijah, and after a while, he wanted to be friends. And even Lucy warmed to him. But can he be more?

Nice, good job mixing "opposites attract" and "first impressions are wrong" tropes. Using kid as the straight man (or woman, in this case) is expected, but still a nice touch. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Strictly Professional by Kathryn Nolan

Roxy is a beautiful tattooed goddess badass...except when it comes to business. Her tattoo parlor is failing, as the area is gentrifying. So when a proper Brit wandered through her doors, drunk and broken-hearted, she was surprised, but not shocked. And he's VERY charming. His name is Edward, and he's a hotelier who was expected to marry someone his family approves to inherit the hotel he had been managing most of his adult life. Except the last "approved" woman betrayed him already (which caused him to be drunk and ended up at Roxy's). And Edward has some dark desires he can never share with a "proper" woman... but with Roxy... Oh, yes.  Roxy was going for MBA hoping to fix her business, and one of the projects was being mentored by a businessman. Who'd knew that her mentor would end up being Edward?

Ooo-la-la. This opposites attract story does indeed have explosive chemistry. The end solution was slight bit of deus ex machina. Who'd knew family can be so... ****tards?   4.5/5

GRR Reviews Pricked by Winter Renshaw

Brighton is a rich girl who grew up in a gilded cage. Having found her grandparents dead one morning made her parents overly protective. But she's had enough... she's not going to medical school like they wanted. On her 22nd birthday, she went to get a tattoo... and met the owner, Madden, who has his own scars... His father is a murderer, and his twin brother was shot dead. He grew up and opened a tattoo parlor, and even changed his name legally. But he can't seem to outrun his past. Having his ex Veronica "Ronnie" just up and ran off three years ago didn't help him at all. Meeting Brighton was... unexpected. And they have chemistry between them... but both are convinced it's not feelings... It's just... indications that they can be very good in bed. But they are very very different indeed. But can they love each other despite objections?

Okay, there is a plot twist later that's brilliant, if a bit out of the blue, but the evil ex Ronnie coming back just to mess with him? LAME setup for the darkest hour! Still, the rest of the book is pretty good.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.

GRR Reviews Rivers of Ink by Julie Archer

Alicia seriously needed a job, but there are none to be had locally. Commiserating with her BFF, Alicia ended up going home with a gorgeous tattooed hunk. She was mortified to find at her interview two days later, at a tattoo shop as the receptionist / marketing person, that Callan was the part owner. But Callan has a dark secret... His brother had died recently.... after cheating with Callan's girlfriend Isobel... who was the receptionist. Is history repeating itself?

Nice short, both characters are deeper than what you'd expect from a "one-night-stand" type of romance.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.

GRR Reviews The Permanence of Pain by Desiree Lafawn

Regina has the perfect voice for the perfect job: she's a female sales rep in the sex toy industry, and she's the sales leader in her company. She was devastated when her best female friend just confessed to her... via email, that she was doing her boyfriend Richard (Dick) behind her back. Unfortunately, this FORMER best friend is also a good client of the company. So Regina did the next best thing... handed off the good account to the next sales guy... who's a total douchebag. Regina needed something to remind her to stay strong, so she headed toward the tattoo shop, and met Beck. // Beck is a painter and a tattoo artist, and he helps people dealing with their pain, having suffered some major pain of his own. When Regina walked through the door, all he saw was the pain hidden behind her facade. But will his attempt to help her actually do her good... or send her over the edge?

I've seen the plot where TSTL jealousy mistaken impression leads to break up, then a total meltdown, but somehow that made the character famous, and that lead to the truth, so the character had to do a grand gesture to get the other MC back. This one is not bad. But not outstanding either. The "sex toy sales" angle was not used much other than some amusing chuckles.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below. 

GRR Reviews Something New (Exile Ink) by Skylar Hill

Cam was orphaned just before her 18th birthday, and she did all she could to raise her little sister by herself, including working in a tattoo parlor for a boss that denigrates her work everytime he gets, even though she brings in the clients. She just never expected "Jay"... // James McGowan is a legend in the tattoo community. He is handsome, buff, charming, and unrivaled in ink. Heck, he even had a reality show for a while. When he saw a work that took his breath away, he had to meet the artist... So he booked a consult as "Jay," and met Cam. Moreover, the chemistry is off the charts, as Cam had admired James' work for years. However, Cam can't afford any distractions, even as she desperately wanted to lose herself in James' arms, and James wants Cam personally, even though he's there to hire Cam to join his new tattoo studio. Can she let down her guard and risk everything for a brighter future?

The "evil boss" was just cliche mean. While I enjoyed the tattoo terms, and there are some emotions there (including a full make-out session in one of the private rooms), the rest seems cliche / trope. The book also ended on a happy note, but with a lot more to come for the couple. It's NOT a cliffhanger though, even though it's only 116 pages.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Tattoo celebrity wanted to hire the new female talented tattoo artist... while in disguise

Overall Rating: 3/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.