Review: Great book
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 4, 2014
When I read In the Band in November 2012, I knew I wanted more.  It may be a year later, but I got my wish.  Ink my Heart was just what the doctor ordered.  It had the characters I loved in the first book and a fantastic story line.  I loved getting to know Justin, but had to re-evaluate my first impression of Romeo, since in this story I found him to be such a hard-ass.  Maybe he always was and I was looking at him with love hazed eyes.  I mean in the first book he was winning over Riley so my focus was on all his good deeds and determination.  I digress.  This was Justin’s time to shine and did he ever.Justin comes off as a player most of the time, but that’s just a cover for the issues he has with nonexistent parents that left him alone most of his life.  He has money, good looks, and his band.  With all that he still feels empty until he decides to get a new tattoo.  I have a new appreciation for tattoos.  Now that I have some personal experience, it’s not hard to see the draw. Allie is a tattoo artist with her own shop.  When he meets Allie he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame.  It’s about to get interesting. Allie has a past that just won’t go away, mainly Trevor.  She has responsibilities that leave no time for nonsense.  She pegs Justin as someone that she just doesn’t have time to waste on.What I really loved about this book was that the characters were solid.  Justin was just so awesome.  He took the time to learn about Allie.  He also took the time to dissect his own feelings and emotions.  He knew that he had one shot to get it right and wasn’t going to mess it up.  Allie didn’t stand a chance, once she started to see what he tries to hide.  She tried to resist.  Justin was just too irresistible.  When Justin sings “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls to Allie, she gets it.  She knows he hides behind his image.  She sees glimpses of someone else.  Someone she is willing to take a chance on.  As I read this part it brought me to another book.  In the book Real, Remy Tate plays this song to Blaire to communicate to her that there is more to him than what everyone sees.  I totally get it.  “Iris” is a great song.The other character in this book that gripped my heart was the drummer, Gabe.  Tall, maybe just over six foot.  He’s all wiry muscle, with piercing eyes and a jaw so hard it’s like someone cut it from marble.  He has a home life that is questionable and has been in trouble with the law before.  I was intrigued with all the information coming my way about Gabe.  I think I loved his character just a little bit more than Justin.  There is so much more that I want to know about him.Jean Haus wrote a story that, in my opinion, surpassed the first one.  I felt like this story had more depth.  I’m looking forward to more from this series.  Maybe Gabe will get a story next.  He sure has piqued my interest.