August Reading Challenge Discussion

The August Reading Challenge was to read a book with a tattooed character on the cover.

The first novel I selected is Sin and Ink by Naima Simone. I enjoyed parts of the story but I found the novel to be overall disappointing.

Here’s what I enjoyed:

The relationships between lead character Knox Gordon and his brothers Jude and Simon. They have his back when he needs support.

I do like that Knox tried to keep his distance from his sister-in-law Eden. I also like how he helps Eden even though it is hard for him to be around her.

Eden has a lot to lose with a decision she has made, but she stands her ground even though it could her someone who is very dear to her.

What I didn’t like:

All of the smexy thoughts are overwhelming. Every time Knox and Eden are together they are positively overwhelmed with lust. I have to confess I got very tired of their smutty inner monologues.

The excessive guilt that both Eden and Knox have over their attraction to each other. And poor Knox has a double whammy of guilt from his mom. I also hated how everyone is still tiptoeing around their mother’s lingering grief.

The over the top angst is emotionally exhausting. I don’t mind a little angst and drama, but all of Knox’s and Eden’s inner conflict becomes repetitive. And did I mention exhausting????

Final thoughts:

A romance between Knox and Eden is tantalizing but unfortunately it gets lost in the dizzying array of sexual thoughts and dirty sex scenes. Both characters end up evolving by the novel’s end, but their respective transformations feel rushed. After reading Sin and Ink, I’m a little hesitant to read the next book in the Sweetest Taboo series.

Please click HERE to learn more about Sin and Ink.

The next book I chose is the first novel in the Twisted Wishes series, Syncopation by Anna Zabo. And I am happy to say I enjoyed reading Ray Van Zeller’s and Zavier Demos’s unconventional romance.

Here’s what I enjoyed:

The characters:

Ray is kind of all over the place for much of the novel but I did like him. I’m still not quite sure where his low self-esteem originates, but I like how he finally came into his own. I totally get his over developed sense of responsibility when it comes to the band but his lack of communication with his bandmates contributes to his stress.

Zavier is calm, cool and collected which makes a nice contrast to Ray’s moodiness. He is fairly unusual when it comes to relationships and an explanation does not come until later in the novel. He is confident but not arrogant so he is quick to correct misassumptions about his effect on Twisted Wishes success.

Mish Sullivan and Domino Grinder aka Dominic Bradley. Mish and Dom are more than Ray’s bandmates-they are his friends and his family. They are quick to defend him and they implicitly trust and support him.

The Relationship:

Ray’s and Zavier’s relationship is a slow burn but it is well worth waiting for. Despite knowing the risks of sleeping with a bandmate, their attraction is too sizzling hot to resist. Zavier is heavily into BDSM and it turns out Ray is extremely receptive to be being the submissive in their relationship. He is also surprisingly understanding when Zavier explains… well, you’ll have to read Syncopation to find out about Zavier 😉

What I didn’t particularly like:

The whole story arc with band manager Carl Roberts. Carl is so incredibly over the top that it made it impossible to believe how much control he has over Ray. And the explanation for his behavior is a bit ridiculous.

Final thoughts:

An overall enjoyable rock star romance that I really liked despite a few issues with some storyline elements. I’m looking forward to reading Dom’s book, Counterpoint. But I’m a little on the fence about Reverb because I’m not really a fan of stalker story arcs.

Please click HERE to learn more about Syncopation.

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Did you enjoy the book you selected for this month’s challenge?

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Check out September’s challenge HERE.