Review: Surprised this skeptic
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 14, 2013
I'm going to admit that tattoos have never been my thing.  I've always been more of a Dean Martin fan than a Tommy Lee fan in terms of looks.  So it was with a skeptical heart that I purchased "Tatted" by Renee LaRuse.  I was pleasantly surprised by the love story of Misha, the hard-nosed, straight arrow cop and Mark, the lovable, underachieving ex-con.Misha meets Mark while helping another cop arrest him.  While taking over the arrest, Mark notices the beautiful cop and knows that they have met before.  During the course of the day, they figure out that they have met in high school.  Back then, Misha was a popular track star. Mark was a quiet, shy kid.  He has had a crush on her all of these years and hopes it may turn into something more.The years have not been entirely kind to Misha since high school.  Disappointments in her career and personal life have left her a little worse for wear.  Despite her disappointments, she is a cop that knows how to handle herself.  She isn't a shrinking violet when it comes to work, but she hides a soft underbelly.  She is willing to help Mark, but she does want to be in a relationship with a career criminal.Mark knows what people think of him when they see his tats.  It has never really bothered him, until he begins to look at himself and the choices he has made over the years.  Being a career criminal was never part of his plan, but 10 years have passed by and he has nothing to show for it.  He meets Misha and realizes he wants to change his life.  He wants to change it for himself as well as the sweet, vulnerable woman that he wants a relationship with.This was a very sweet couple.  Mark and Misha were friends before anything romantic happened between them.  I completely understood why Misha would be gun shy about Mark.  He had to be patient in order to earn her trust and love.  He was willing to put in the work and was rewarded with a woman who loved and supported him. I also loved the fact that although Misha was a strong woman, she never emasculated Mark.  He more than held his own with her and did not back down in the face of adversity.Chemistry is what drives a romance and there is plenty of it here. Dialogue was believable and plot pacing was good too.  There were a few instances of over the top behavior, but they are minor quibbles.  Ultimately, I believed this unlikely love story.  I understood why Misha took that leap and I understood why Mark put in the work. "Tatted" is a love story about second chances, trusting your instincts and not judging people by their appearances.  I highly recommend it.