THE DARKEST LINK

When her car breaks down off the side of a lonely highway far from her sunny Miami home, tattoo artist Lia never expected her very own white knight to ride up on the back of a barely street-legal motorcycle...and she never expected to fall for her dark savior. After a string of failed relationships and a bruised heart, Lia is not looking for forever, and the hot mechanic, with his sexy scruff and shaggy hair, is simply impossible to resist and the perfect candidate for mind-blowingly-perfect, no-strings-attached one night stand.

Reid left his life in Chicago far behind him and hasn't been back, but he's never been able to escape the guilt he feels about his own painful role in inviting a monster into his baby sister's life. A monster who almost destroyed her. Being with Lia is an unexpected gift, one he doesn't feel he deserves, and their one night together has him wanting more than he should. Especially since she doesn't know the truth about his past. However, when he finds Lia’s bracelet in his bed, he has the perfect excuse to drive down and surprise her at her tattoo studio, Second Circle Tattoos, in Miami. He's in for an even bigger shock - and a fist to the face - when his past and present collide in the humid Miami weather when he runs into the last person he’d ever expect to see in a tattoo studio: Harper, the sister he betrayed, and the last link to his former life.

Release Date: August 30, 2016

Swerve

A Second Circle Tattoos Novel book #4

Review copy provided by the publisher

Nikki’s Review:

Scarlett Cole blew me out of the water and brought me to my knees with, The Strongest Steel, the first book in the series. I knew after the first chapter that this series was going to be special; that this author held me in her grip now. 

 I have been waiting for Reid's book since he was mentioned in book #1. You don't get to "meet" him in any of the previous books, but you know there's a story there that needs to be told. I didn't want to accept that this character was a horrible person. I desperately wanted there to be a reason on why he left his sister behind. I wanted him to be redeemable. I needn't have worried!

Reid isn't your typical hero. He's done things that make me mad and irritated. But his heart was in the right place. Reid is a protector and his guilt about what happened to his sister, Harper, is what propels him to make decisions that aren't the smartest. I loved that he was flawed, I loved that he had to put some real effort into finding forgiveness. He had to work for my affection.

Lia is a spitfire. She's spunky and has a personality that is magnetic. She's someone that I'd to be friends with. She owns her life and makes no apologies for finding happiness. I could feel the attraction between Lia and Reid from the moment he spots her on the side of the road. The lust was definitely instant and scorching hot. They both have their respective baggage and want to keep things light and sexy between them. Ha! That worked for the first orgasm and then their hearts took over. Ms. Cole has a knack for writing heroes and heroines that make great friends. There's always chemistry, but there's a definite kinship that develops first. She makes them connect on a level that sets a strong foundation. Her characters fall in lust and then in love, but they also develop a friendship. 

Let me just put it out there that this book was spicy hot! Sweet baby Jesus, Reid is all kinds of sexy and Lia isn't afraid to be open about what she wants between the sheets! 

Like the books that came before this one, there are some heavy conflicts. Reid is in search of redemption. Lia sees his flaws and knows his story and she doesn't judge him. She inspires him. Lia is looking for acceptance. She's been made to feel lacking from her father all her life. She admittedly falls in love way too fast. Reid's her chance at happiness. He loves all her quirks and sassiness. 

Scarlett Cole isn't afraid to touch on sometimes-tough subject matters. She doesn't gloss over the bad stuff, but she uses those situations to make her characters strong, to make them brave, and to help them realize their worth. She drags her characters through the mud and builds them up again. It continues to leave me speechless. 

I was thrilled to revisit the characters from previous books. The crew of Second Circle Tattoos are family, not by blood, but by loyalty and strong friendships that most of us could only hope for. 

I'm invested in the people in this series. I feel like I know them. Each book pulls me in and holds tight until the very end. The first book, The Strongest Steel, will probably always be my favourite...Lawd, I love me some Trent! Each installment has a chunk of my heart that I never want back. I highly recommend starting from the beginning of the series for the best enjoyment. Do yourself a favour and get to know the crew of Second Circle Tattoos, you'll be happy you did!

Rating 5 Stars (A)

THE DARKEST LINK PREORDER BLITZ

Book Description:

When her car breaks down off the side of a lonely highway far from her sunny Miami home, tattoo artist Lia never expected her very own white knight to ride up on the back of a barely street-legal motorcycle...and she never expected to fall for her dark savior. After a string of failed relationships and a bruised heart Lia is not looking for forever, and the hot mechanic, with his sexy scruff and shaggy hair, is simply impossible to resist. He's the perfect candidate for a mind-blowingly-perfect, no-strings-attached one-night stand.

Reid left his life in Chicago far behind him and hasn't been back, but he's never been able to escape the guilt he feels about his own painful role in inviting a monster into his baby sister's life. A monster who almost destroyed her. Being with Lia is an unexpected gift, one he doesn't feel he deserves, and their one night together has him wanting more than he should. When he surprises her at her tattoo studio, Second Circle Tattoos, in Miami, he's in for a shock—and a fist to the face—when his past and present collide.

With secrets coming to the surface, Reid and Lia are thrown into a world of betray and lies that threatens to pull them under, and the last link to his former life may be the darkest of them all.

EXCERPT:

Lia opened the door to her condo and let Reid inside. He’d followed her home on his bike, so they’d been unable to talk, but he’d said nothing once they’d parked in the underground garage.

“Holy shit, Lia,” he said, looking out toward the water. “That’s some view.”

She dropped her keys on the side table, and placed her purse next to them. Sharing details about her wealth only seemed to cause problems. There had been at least two boyfriends who stuck around longer than they really wanted to because of her funds. So she’d never thought to prepare Kenny for the reality of her life, nor had there been opportunity.

Lia walked over to the balcony doors and opened them wide. “Want to go outside for a while? I’ll get us some drinks.”

Reid dragged his hand along his jaw. “I don’t know what I want. My head feels like a car that hasn’t ever had an oil change. Overheated, poorly performing, and full of crap.” The smile he gave her was filled with sadness.

She squeezed his hand and headed to the kitchen. She grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge. Kenny was leaning against the balcony, staring out into the distance. The deep blue rippling waters of Biscayne Bay had soothed her frayed mind on many occasions. She only hoped it was having the same effect on him.

The look on her best friend’s face had torn her apart. Harper had fluctuated between elation and disappointment. And Kenny had looked shell-shocked as he started to put the pieces together, leaving Lia unable and unwilling to pick sides. But the look of abject loneliness on his face when he saw Harper standing with all her friends had forced her to break ranks and stand with him. No one in that situation should be left to stand alone.

“I figured you could use one of these,” Lia said, walking onto the balcony with the drinks.

He took them and placed them on the table next to them. He took both her hands and pulled her toward him. He stroked her skin, as if desperate for contact. “My name is Reid Kennedy . . . but everyone calls me Kenny. Except my sister and parents. I wasn’t trying to deceive you, Lia. It’s just the name I go by.”

“Let’s not worry about that right now. You and Harper are all that matters. We can talk about this at some other point.”

Reid nodded.

“Is it okay to call you Reid?” she asked.

He breathed what she took to be a sigh of relief. “You can call me whatever the fuck you want as long as you are still speaking to me. I’m sorry,” he said, burying his nose into the soft hair at the side of her neck. The scent of him, man and leather, surrounded her, and despite everything going on around them, she was transported back to their previous weekend together, when she’d stripped for him in the warm shades of dusk.

Lia wrapped her arms around his waist. “For what?” she asked.

“For coming down here to make you feel better, only to pull you into all this.”

She didn’t respond immediately, but rubbed her hand up and down his back. It was the kind of gesture she wished her parents had done to her when she was small. Reassuring. Caring even.

He pulled back a little. “Don’t you hate me? For leaving her?” he said quietly.

“When she comes over, are you going to explain why?” She placed her hand over his heart. It beat fiercely.

He covered her hand with his own. “Yes.”

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/darkestlinkkindle

B&N: http://smarturl.it/darkestlinknook

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/darkestlinkibooks

Kobo: http://smarturl.it/darkestlinkkobo

Author Bio:

Born in England, SCARLETT COLE traveled the world, living in Japan and the United States before settling in Canada where she met her own personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. She now lives with her husband and children in Manchester, England where she's at work on her next book. She is the author of The Strongest Steel.

THE PUREST HOOK (A SECOND CIRCLE TATTOOS #3)

The Purest Hook

A Second Circle Tattoos Novel book #3

St. Martin's Press (Macmillan)

Release date: May 3, 2016

Review copy provided by the publisher 

Blurb:

Can a love built on secrets survive?

Rugged, hot, and rock hard, Dred Zander is exactly the type of man that normally sends Pixie running. Not dreaming about running her hands down his washboard abs...and lower. The lead singer and guitarist for the band Preload embodies trouble behind his quick smile and guarded eyes, and Pixie left trouble behind her years ago along with the name Sarah Jane Travers and the pathetic trailer her mom called home. With her abusive past in her past, she has a new life, a new family at Second Circle, and a dream of opening her own business. She needs capital and time. What she doesn't need is a tempting long-haired rocker or the paparazzi that follow him around.

But Dred has other ideas. Pixie's sweet hazel eyes, purple hair and kaleidoscopic tattoo of exotic flowers that swirl up her arm haunt his dreams, and he knows she wants him too. He just has to convince her. But as a juicy exposé threatens to expose their pasts, and a blackmailer terrorizes their present, Pixie and Dred have to decide what really matters and fight like hell to keep it.

Nikki’s Review:

To say that I love this series is an understatement! I have read thousands of romance novels, and there are only a couple of handfuls of books that kick me in the gut. Scarlett Cole's, Second Circle Tattoos series is one of them! I lose all sense of time when I'm devouring one of her books. The Purest Hook pulled me and wouldn't let go until the last page.

We met Pixie and Dred in book one. I could feel the chemistry between them. Dred is full of charm and enough rock star swagger to make my spine tingle! And he clearly makes certain areas on, Pixie's body tingle! Through books one and two, they do the dance of flirtation and easy smiles. But Pixie is holding back. There's a story there that we aren't privy to yet. So, when it came time for, Dred and Pixie to take the dive, I was eager to go with them!

These characters both have emotional hang-ups and enough baggage to fill the cargo hold of an airplane. What I love about all the characters in this series, is that they are beautifully flawed. They're good people who have had to fight to find their way in the world. Scarlett Cole writes characters that are real. I feel like they could be my friends. Reading the banter between them is one of the best parts. It all seems so natural. The character development is fabulous. The emotions are raw. 

Dred and Pixie are struggling with their secrets. They're afraid if they share with each other, the parts that not many people know about, that it'll destroy their fragile relationship. Here's where you want to shake them and tell them to just be honest! Though, I can't imagine laying yourself bare like that and risk losing the person you're falling in love with. 

Dred does a lot of growing up in this book. He has to make some decisions about his life. He has to be a better person, and not just for himself. Pixie also has to make decisions. She has to decide to trust someone with her story. She has to reveal her demons and show that she's stronger than her past.

I love these two tortured souls together! They are the light to each other's darkness. You can feel the contentment when they are together. You can also feel the lust burning up the pages! Sweet baby Jesus, the lust is so bright and explosive, it takes your breath away! The sex scenes are seriously intense and beautifully written. Dred is my new book boyfriend. He ummm, has magic fingers...and other magic stuff too! 

I can't go into too much detail about their issues and secrets. I don't want to give it all away. To fully understand and enjoy the journey, you need to be immersed in it.

You get a lot of Trent and Cujo time too! I love that the secondary characters are prominent, but they don't take away from the current couples story. The people in this series are a family. Blood doesn't connect them, the heart does. They've all had their struggles and by finding each other, they've found what they needed the most...love and family.

If you haven't already, start with book one, The Strongest Steele. You wouldn't want to miss, Trent's book anyways! But you'll get the start of Pixie and Dred's story too. This is a series that will stay with you. When I finish each book, I think about the characters long after. I miss them. Getting the next book in the series is like coming home. And home is a great place.

THE FRACTURED HEART

All things, when placed under pressure, eventually break or leave a mark.

Tattoo artist Brody "Cujo" Matthews knows how to keep things simple. In life and in love. Abandoned as a child by a mother who refused to stick around to raise three boys she didn't want, he's intent on staying clear of complicated women. The only things complicated in Cujo’s life are the killer tattoos he designs and inks. That all changes when he’s asked to help organize his best friend Trent's engagement party, which means working with Trent's fiancée's best friend, Drea, the definition of high maintenance and sizzling curves. And the one woman he doesn’t want to walk away from.

Andrea "Drea" Caron is broke and tired. After years of caring for her ailing mom, she's at the end of her rope trying to manage the piling medical bills, two jobs, and a life placed on hold. She certainly doesn’t need the added frustration of a sexy playboy tattoo artist messing up her best friend’s engagement party or her carefully balanced life. But when Drea witnesses the abduction of a woman from the café she works at, she can’t help but turn to Cujo who’s determined to prove to Drea that he’s someone she can count on forever…but as they attempt to bring the truth to light, someone is working to bring that forever to a sudden, deadly halt.

Release date: January 5, 2016

St. Martin’s Press

A Second Circle Tattoos Novel book 2

Review copy provided by the publisher

Nikki’s Review:

It is so fantastically awesome when I stumble across a series that makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. Not because it's overly humorous (though this book does make me laugh at times ) but because I'm so damn happy to get my hands on it!  My tummy did a little flip when this baby showed up in my email. I knew right away that I'd be ignoring my family for the evening, ordering pizza, and I wouldn't come up for air until the very last page.

Cujo and Drea. These two crack me the hell up! Their sarcastic banter in book one made me laugh out loud. There was some crazy chemistry between them. I liked seeing their relationship develop from throwing barbs at each other, to finding a friendship, and finally, realizing that they were each other's missing piece.

Both of these characters are dealing with some heavy baggage. The constant tug of war with their emotions was exhausting...and I loved every second of it! Scarlett Cole wrote this book in such a way that I felt I was able to go on Cujo and Drea's individual journeys. I felt the desperation and elation. I felt the crushing responsibility that Drea carried, on my chest. This woman has the weight of the world on her not so delicate shoulders. And asking for help or a hand out isn't even a consideration, as far as she's concerned. Drea is strong. But she's crumbling; drowning and no one can her cries. I seriously struggled with trying to keep it together. My anxiety levels were through the roof. As much as I was convinced that there was going to be an HEA at the end, I couldn't quite see Drea's light at the end of the tunnel. 

Cujo is a survivor. He's beat the odds of an illness that has left him emotionally paralyzed. He's not willing to open his heart to anyone because he's convinced that it could come to a screeching halt if he gets sick again. And how do you tell someone to just get over that? As much as I wanted him and Drea together, I knew he couldn't be pushed. Ms. Cole pulled this poor bastard through the mud backwards. There are so many facets to Cujo. I wasn't prepared for how deep this man felt and thought. He's full of snarky comebacks, has a killer smile, and is uber hot. But he flipped me on my ass with his tender soul. This Wildly wicked; tattooed bad boy has a sense of honour that runs deep. At one point, I was so pissed with him! He's constantly pushing Drea away, and then he's begging her, to essentially not find happiness elsewhere. I knew he wanted her ferociously, but he as too damn stubborn to give into it.

There's a bit more suspense in this book than there was in, The Strongest Steel. It added to the character development though, and it didn't overpower the love story. Drea becomes somewhat of a detective. You get to see how incredibly intelligent she is. There's a whole layer to her personality that is more than her bark and sassy attitude. I gotta tell you, it's been a while since I've read a new to me author, who can write such well thought out characters. I could imagine myself becoming friends with this group of people. They were so likeable and had a realness to them. These were people with ordinary lives who have extraordinary personalities! 

There are several important story arcs in this book. Each has its path that needs to be walked to get to the big picture, the climax that will either destroy Cujo and Drea, or bring them together to find the peace and love that they each desperately need and deserve. You get to visit with the crew from Second Circle Tattoos. That's one of my favourite things about series. You get little glimpses of what Trent and Harper are up to. I missed them, and I was excited when they came onto the page! Scarlett Cole makes you care about her characters. She writes them so they twist themselves around your heart and never let go. Could there be anything more perfect? I think not. 

Needless to say, I'm anxious to get a hold of book three, The Purest Hook! I have a feeling that Dred and Pixie are going to bring me to my knees. And I look forward to falling.