Review: 4 stars - Two souls that crave and need each other - such a great ride!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 28, 2013
When trust is taken at a young age, it's hard to trust again.  Both of these two characters have trust issues.  Both have come from similar childhoods where moms made decisions that affected them profoundly.  But each has reacted to things differently.  Avery plays the field, never letting a guy in her bed for long and never in her heart.  Bennett holds his heart differently, not giving a girl all of him.  They need each other to learn that trust again.When I was asked to read this one, I read the premise and thought - oh yeah...WANTS.  Tattoo artist and player girl?  Hearts hidden but events changing that?  Yes, please.  I love it when two people can heal each other.  Some may feel it's an over used New Adult theme but I think it's the most hopeful thing about New Adult.  So many grow up in less than perfect circumstances and those years right after reaching adulthood is the time to either fix it or to become more jaded.  I love the hopeful stories of healing hearts and minds.  And the healing in the story doesn't magically happen just because they are attracted to each other - no time and experiences combined with that attraction build the love they need to heal.  Loved that.I so loved Bennett.  He's a hot artist.  Yeah he does tats too but I love that he's an artist first.  He draws and there's an art show in the story.  We see a couple of his consult sessions for tattoos and I love how he asks questions and then he draws from their answers, creating something unique for each person.  My daughter is an artist and I recognize the process.  She starts with someone's idea but then she wants details to make it real.  I love how the art comes alive then.  So Bennett rang true to me.While this boy is a virgin, he is no saint - his words.  He has some sexy experience and it flows through the story A LOT.  Oh yeah, this is steamy and sexy.  Everything and anything is fair game except that one last thing.  And skills?  This boy has some skills.I loved Avery too.  She's protecting herself after some pretty tough pain in her teens.  I so got her and I was proud of her.  She pulled herself out of the mess that was her upbringing.  College and a job are her focus.  Kick-boxing and self-defense are important parts of her life along with a couple of great girlfriends.  She's strong and determined - perhaps a little too determined to protect her heart.  In this one thing, her and Bennett are polar opposites.  She's bound up her battered heart to protect it while he's waiting to find the only one that's going to ever own his.  Loved them together from the first time they meet.The story is strong and I didn't want to put it down.  I really liked the combination of detail and summary.  The balance was perfect.  I never felt like I missed anything but got the whole story.  Started it one night and woke up early the next day to finish it.  The clues gave me what was up with Avery's past and I did figure out most things a little before they happened but I loved it!If the New Adult bug has bitten you like it has me, then you should totally pick this one up!  If that NA bug hasn't bitten, you need to let it and this one is a great one to start. - See more at: [...]