More Than Meets The Ink by Elle Aycart
Erotic Contemporary
June 28, 2011
Ebook
Loose ID

Reviewed by Helyce

Favorite Quote: “Cool place you’ve got here,” Max stated, looking around. She wasn’t sure he meant the place or the cuties that were all smiling back at him. Like it wasn’t enough to have chicks drooling over James, now she had the whole Bowen male panty-creamer clan parading through Rosita’s. She should be charging for entrance.

Tate Cooper has a preconceived notion that all tattooed men are ‘bad boys.’ She didn’t come to this conclusion by experience, however. Not her own anyway. No, she’s based this rather broad stereotype on the boyfriends her older sister, Elle, always seemed to hook up with. The one’s that couldn’t keep a job or took advantage of her and in the end, always broke her heart. Tate has always steered clear of any man who fell into this category.

So she’s completely unprepared when she meets James Bowen.

Tate is in Florida for a little R & R and to check on her mom, Ann, who’s recently moved into a retirement community there. When Ann’s cat goes missing, she is positive that her neighbor, Mr. Bowen, has done something to her. As they sneak onto his property they run into James, Mr. Bowen’s son. Tate is embarrassed by her mother’s actions, but she wasn’t altogether wrong in her assumption. As she enters Mr. Bowen’s house, she finds Amy in a box with 5 of the ugliest kittens she’s ever seen.

Crisis averted, Tate is sitting outside on Mr. Bowen’s porch when James joins her. She can’t help noticing how attractive he is, but poking out the sleeve of his t-shirt, she sees part of a tattoo and all her doubts and fears surface in the smirk on her face. James doesn’t miss it, but he’s too busy noticing how attractive Tate is to dwell on the look of distaste on her face. James has never been attracted to women who are naturally beautiful; no, he’s always been drawn to a woman who wears her sexuality on the outside, with make-up, sexy clothing and other enhancements. So he’s a bit taken aback by his attraction very immediate attraction to Tate. They chat and agree to meet at the dance being thrown that night for the seniors. Tate doesn’t want to go, but she’s hoping her mom will have a chance to meet others in the community and make some friends, so she agrees.

Tate can’t stop thinking about James. Everything in her is telling her to stop, but she can’t help herself. They meet at the dance and much flirting entails between them. James can’t believe his luck. He’s never made a move with any of the young women constantly being thrown at him by his dad’s friends and neighbors. Everyone has a daughter or granddaughter that he “just has to meet”. In fact he has a rule about it, a rule he is more than tempted to break with Tate. Tate is drawn to James as well, and as she isn’t seeing anyone at the moment, she decides a vacation fling is just what she needs. But she has to make it clear to James-it’s just sex, no strings, and it ends at the end of the week.

More Than Meets The Ink was a lovely, feel good romance that read more like a contemporary than an erotic romance for me. When Tate and James meet, Tate is in a really bad place. Her father and brother were killed in a tragic accident just a few months prior. Her mother, unable to deal with the abrupt loss, moves away leaving Tate to pick up the pieces. Tate’s older sister, Elle, also leaves, moving to California because she can’t deal with the memories. This leaves Tate with the responsibility of running the family restaurant, Rosita’s. If that wasn’t enough, she’s got an email stalker trying to scare her into selling the restaurant. So she relishes her time in Florida and drowns herself in James’ affections.

For James, what started out as a vacation fling is fast taking over his heart. James has a little bit of baggage; he’s been married, is now divorced, but that relationship and it not working out no matter what he did and how hard he tried has left him reluctant to pursue any relationships as a rule. His time with Tate has changed him in ways he never expected and he’s excited about it. Unfortunately, the moment he hints that they take what they’ve started and continue it back home, Tate bolts.

The road to love with this couple will be hard fought for and each of them has a rocky road to travel before they get there. More so for Tate, who will have to let go of every preconceived notion she’s had about ‘bad boys’ who have tattoos. Tate will learn the hard way that she can’t judge a person by only looking at the outside; that what is important is what is on the inside. James proves himself over and over and she still pushes him away, but James never gives up.

There are secondary characters that made the second half of the story a fun read as well. The two guys James works with and James’ brothers bring some light humor to balance out the darker parts of the story. I can see potential for additional stories with these characters finding their own happily ever afters.

Rating: B

Recent Reviews:
Paranormal Wastelands
Book Pimps’ Reviews – 4/5
Scraps of Me – 4/5
Goodreads

Author’s Website

Kindle l Nook l LooseID