Could a pair of tattoos ignite a passionate romance?

Technical analyst Garrett Jones lives a solitary life. Occasionally, he must venture into the outside world to get what he needs. On one such occasion, he finds himself at a local tattoo shop getting inked for the first time with a semi-colon as a reminder of his past--a past he cannot allow himself to forget.

Fun-loving and outspoken Dev Hemingway is a social worker for a local LGBTQ shelter. He’s covered in tatts, has long hair, and though most people think he belongs on a Harley, he prefers his Venom electric scooter. He’s adding a semi-colon to his tattoo repertoire to mark eight years since his mental health diagnosis. 

Though they start seeing each other casually, Garrett and Dev’s relationship soon deepens into something more than either one could have prepared for. But will the illness that brought them together ultimately be the one to tear them apart? Could this be the end of their story, or is there still too much left unfinished?

Review

A well told love story where opposites attract. Garret, the introvert and Dev, the extrovert. I like how this difference between got as much time and Dev's mental health and the trigger it is for Garret given his history.

This book takes takes it time and we get to see a loving relationship bloom and a lot of personal healing and growth.

This book takes a look at a rather heavy topic - what it's like to live with Bipolar Disorder/Depression, and how to live with someone who has Bipolar Disorder/Depression.

The author's wife wrote the foreword, and she wrote it from the perspective of someone who has this condition. It sort of sets the tone for this book.

We first meet Garrett Jones when he's in a tattoo shop getting a semi-colon tattoo. He's a solitary person, works as a technical analyst, and only ventures outside when he absolutely has to. His relationship with his family is strained, for reasons we find out further into the book. His reason for getting the tattoo is as a reminder of his past, of a failed relationship, and of the guilt he still carries with him every day. He has zero friends, but is friendly with one of his co-workers, a woman who is a good friend to him.

In this same tattoo shop, Dev Hemingway is a regular. His body is covered in multiple tattoos, all with a specific meaning to him. He's there to get a semi-colon tattoo himself. A social worker, and someone who has Bipolar Depression, he is getting the tattoo to mark the 8th anniversary of the day his life could have been over, the day he tried to commit suicide and thankfully failed.

Dev is immediately intrigued by the handsome man sitting in the tattooist chair.

From the get-go, the differences between the two men are very obvious - Dev is outspoken, fun-loving, spontaneous, whereas Garrett is a planner, keeps to himself, and appears to carry a burden much to heavy for his shoulders. Their personalities clash on occasion, but also complement each other.

I liked Dev quite a lot, and I thought the author did a great job fleshing out his character. Garrett too was likable, though I didn't click with him for almost the entirety of the book. He's just as fleshed out as Dev, but I had a difficult time connecting with him, mostly due to his behavior in the book. There was one scene midway or so, when I just wanted to slap the stupid out of him, and that wasn't the only time he ticked me off.

The relationship begins slowly, with the two men hanging out as fuckbuddies for a bit, before embarking on a more serious, but still casual relationship. It often felt as if Dev was all in, whereas Garrett was waiting for the other shoe to drop. When Dev tells Garrett about his diagnosis, I expected Garrett to put a stop to the relationship, but he almost nonchalantly absorbs those news.

The expected and inevitable break-up reason is almost out of left field - I was so angry with
Garrett and how that scene deteriorated, and the ridiculous (in my mind) reason he gave Dev. I had to applaud Dev though for his backbone, for not putting up with that crap.

Garrett needed to grow, and he does in this book. His journey is difficult, and it took work and help from professionals, for him to get to a point where he could see the past more clearly, and find not only forgiveness for what he perceived as his fault, but also realize that what happened with Pierre wasn't his fault at all. That he couldn't "fix" another person, no matter how much he loved him, and that the fixing is on the person with the issue, not their partner. The author did a fantastic job letting Garrett move at his own pace, and repair the relationship with his family through honesty and communication.

What cost the book a higher rating was the writing itself. While the story flows well, with few lulls in the progression, the writing oftentimes felt more tell than show, which left me with a somewhat clinical feeling. The dialogue was mostly fine, but in some cases felt forced and unnatural. The intimate scenes were excellent though, full of emotions that showed how connected these two men really were, even if Garrett couldn't put it into words very well.

Overall, this is a good book, and I enjoyed reading it. It takes a deep look at Bipolar Disorder/Depression, and takes the time to explain the differences between having Bipolar and having Bipolar Depression. The relationship progression felt realistic and natural, and I thought the two men were well suited to each other, with Dev pulling Garrett more and more out of his shell, and Garrett calming Dev down on occasion.

The author does tell a great story here, and this book is well worth your time.


** I received a free copy of this book from its author. Thank you, Jen! A positive rating was not promised in return. **

Jack hasn't had much luck with relationships, so he's recently adopted a dog named Angus, whom he adores. He's a bit taken aback when someone at the dog park accuses Angus of getting her dog pregnant. Jack's a good guy and thus offers to help with any cost and such.

This brings him to Sean who's fostering the female dog that Angus impregnated.

Jack has some self-confidence issues, likely brought on by the ex-boyfriend, but Sean has no such trouble and starts pursuing Jack.

I liked the characters, and the plot, in this novella. The writing was fine for the most part, even though the dialogue felt a bit stilted on occasion. The romance happens rather quickly, which is expected for how short the story is, but what bothered me is that Jack threw out his convictions too quickly for my taste. The "when you know, you know" didn't really work for me here.

The dogs were fun, and seeing both Jack and Sean be good doggie parents was also a positive.

I didn't like Sean's sister (the one who accuses Angus). The other sister was nice enough, I suppose, though we don't find out much about them in the book due to its shortness.

Overall a sweet story that didn't take me long to read. Enjoyable, for sure.


** I received a free copy of this book from its author. A positive review was not promised in return. **

CHBB

Owlet (The Society of Feathers Book 1) by Emma Michaels

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Light of Dawn (The Dawn Trilogy Book 3) by Komali Da Silva

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The Blood & Light Vampire Series by Rue Volley

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Rise of Silver and Steam: Alliance of Silver and Steam Origins by Lexi Ostrow

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Wanderlust by Adam Millard

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HIP

The Devil's Gate Trilogy by Rue Volley

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18+ Curiosity is a dangerous thing. 
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The Assistant's Christmas Wish (The Christmas Wish Series Book 1) by Lexi Ostrow

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Available October 16, 2015 on Amazon!
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Book 2 - http://amzn.to/1PbrlJU

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Back in the Saddle by J.R. Barten

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For Her, Always by Felicia Fox

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October 6th
A Hauntingly beautiful collection of poetry.
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October 6th thru October 10th
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