Thanks, Naomi, for the fabulous recommendation! And thanks to y'all who voted for Tattoo Thief! FYI, Tattoo Thief is currently *FREE* at Amazon and B&N. I've included the links below. You're welcome! ;)
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Tattoo ThiefTattoo Thief #1
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased on Kindle
Rating: 4.25 Bookworms
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N
Synopsis
22-year-old Beryl doesn't know why Gavin Slater trashed his penthouse, abandoned his dog and fled the country. But as his house sitter, she must pick up the pieces for the front man of the white-hot rock band Tattoo Thief.
When ultra-responsible Beryl confronts the reckless rock star, she wants to konw more than just what to do with his mess. Why is he running? What's he searching for? And is he responsible for the death of his muse?
New York newbie Beryl must find her footing in Gavin's crazy world of ultra-wealthy to discover her own direction and what can bring him back.
Steamy, sassy and tender, Tattoo Thief is a story of breaking from a comfort zone to find a second chance.
I think this is one of the most unique love stories I've read in awhile - mostly because the MCs fall for one another without ever having met in person. Their relationship began with them each having preconceived notions about the other and gradually grew into something more real and meaningful then either had ever experienced.
Beryl once dreamed of adventure - the kind she experienced with her dad. But after losing him, and her mother basically withdrawing from life, Beryl has lived safely - always planning, planning - and never living. When an opportunity presents itself - to actually starting living, to have an adventure, she swallows back her fear and takes the leap.
Beryl is a character I really identified with. I admired her making an adventure for herself. I enjoyed seeing her grow - seeing her ideas, how she formed opinions of people and things, change. She made bad decisions and mistakes, but she learned from them. I also liked seeing her influence on others.
I also liked seeing Gavin grow - take responsibilities for his actions and start to mold his life into one he both wanted to and would be proud to live.
One thing that stood out to me was the contrast between Beryl and Gavin. They came from different backgrounds. They were living vastly different lives - Beryl was barely living while Gavin was living it up rock-star style. Then Beryl decides to run towards life while Gavin runs away. "Equal and opposite."
I was planning to give this 4 Bookworms but as I'm writing this review, I'm realizing how this story affected me. It's really closer to 4.25. :) It's not flawless but there's something that's so real about the story and it resonated with me. Tretheway's writing is smooth and she's created characters that I enjoyed spending my time with...that I look forward to meeting up with again.
