Burn Brothers of Ink and Steel
Book #2
Allie Juliette Mousseau
Genre:
New Adult
Sports Romance
Release Date: May
26, 2015
ASIN: B00YAVNORQ
Pages: 263
Goodreads Rating: 4.50
My Rating: 5.0
Book Description:
Liam Knight, a sexy
panty-melting, hard-bodied streetfighter and renowned tattoo artist, is rising
up the ranks of the UFC Middleweight Division, but he’s about to get knocked
out by his past.
Quinn Kelley is a semester away
from becoming a college graduate when her mother’s death sends her spiraling,
forcing her to go back to her hometown and a past she can’t outrun.
Nearly a decade ago, Liam and
Quinn fell in love while surviving on the city streets together, but they were
torn apart by one irreversible night. Now each has moved forward without the
other, but like a tattoo on the heart, absolute love creates a lasting burn.
Quinn has kept a tight rein on
her emotions, but with the passing of her mother, the foundation she’s built
begins to crack. Will seeing Liam again crumble her fortress to the ground,
uncovering the flame that still burns? Or will it extinguish the fire forever?
Liam’s tough exterior and
resentful demeanor hides more than a wounded heart. He’s tormented by guilt
over what happened to Quinn—and the secret he kept, even from her. But
revealing his secrets would require unearthing the all-consuming monster he
keeps caged in the darkest part of his soul, the one that threatens to devour
him.
When they’re given a second
chance, will they let go of their fear and pride and let the flame between them
become one?
Or will the heat burn them both?
My Take
On The Book:
I don’t know
why I’m ever surprised that the books by Allie are this good. She just never
ceases to amaze me with her ability to create such an amazing world with
characters you genuinely love and want the best for. The story of Liam &
Quinn stuck with me since reading a snippet of it during Josh’s story. I was
already half in love with these characters that it was easy to take the plunge
by the end of chapter 2. I loved the flashes between the past and the present
and how they flowed seamlessly together melding both timelines to create a
flawless tale of a love so strong it survives years of separation and horrible
situations. And while the flashback thing isn’t something so rare in novels
such as this, it was still very important to understanding these characters and
learning what makes them tick. It was beautiful.
I also find it
funny how both Quinn and Sophie were jealous of Adrienne. It pretty much
made my day when reading it. Originally I had planned on reading just a few
chapters and going to sleep but the story kept pulling me in deeper and deeper
till I had finished it entirely. Luckily for me, since I had to be up pretty
early the next day, it’s a fast read, taking place within 3 days of each other
with the few mentioned flashback chapters, so I finished the book within 2
hours.
5
Quills
It was a completely beautiful story with such raw and real characters you can’t help but fall in love with them. I would have like a lengthier read but I’ll take my romance where and how I can get it regardless of length. ;) This book was NOT short of the awe moments we all crave in these novels and even more whoa moments that round off the steamy scenes. A definite must read. One that can and should be read with a nice glass of wine.
Excerpt from Burn
One
more hour before Josh shows up.
Maybe
he’ll get distracted with Sophie and Charlie—his beautiful new
family. Then
he can call and apologize for missing it, and I can say, Better
luck next time.
Damn
I hope that happens.
I
shade with snow-white opaque, platinum and charcoal and finish off
the edges.
I’m
actually thankful to Quinn for walking in on me this morning—I
could’ve fucked up my hands bad and would’ve had to cancel this
session—and doing this is the best therapy I could give myself.
“I
think you’re done, man. Why don’t you go take a look?” I tell
him.
He
slides off the chair and goes up close to the full mirrored wall.
“Holy Fuck! It’s incredible!”
“Happy
you like it.” I smile and begin cleaning my area.
“Man,
it’s a fucking masterpiece.”
“Thanks.”
“Aren’t
you afraid if you continue fighting in the MMA, you could hurt your
hand so bad you wouldn’t be able to tat anymore?” he asks.
Wow! That
statement hits too close to home.
“I
don’t mean nothing by it—you’re a hell of a fighter—could
become a world titleholder,” he continues. “But you’ve got an
amazing talent right here.”
“Thanks.”
It’s just another subject and another question I don’t have an
answer for.
After
he leaves and my station is all cleaned up, I walk out into the
waiting room.
“He
was a happy customer,” Adrienne chirps.
Adrienne
has been working for me since I opened the place. She and her
longtime girlfriend live in the apartment above the shop. They’re
great people.
“Josh
just called. He’s on his way,” she says.
“Great,”
I mutter and then look around at what I’ve built: black walls with
red trim and black and red checkered flooring with a Persian area rug
welcoming clients to sit on the black leather sofas. My artwork hangs
on the walls … they’re good, but these pieces aren’t parts of
my soul. Those are colors I’ve only ever let one person see. After
her, I pulled the dark shades down over those windows.
“Want
to talk about it?” Ade shakes me from my daze.
“No
thanks. I definitely do not want
to talk about it.”
“Are
you going to talk to her about
it?”
When
I look over at her, she has her arms folded across her chest
defiantly. Her spaghetti strapped dress shows off her colorful,
flowered arm sleeves.
“You’re
going to get on my case too?” I accuse.
“Well,
you know there are no secrets here.” When she tilts her head to
challenge me, the light reflects off her silver chin post. “I think
fate is giving you a lucky draw from the deck, and you need to play
your cards right. You’ve been pining after her for as long as I’ve
known you.”
“Ade—”
I begin.
“I’m
not finished speaking. This is do or die, Jack—where you find out
if she still has a thing for you or not. Maybe then you can get on or
move on.”
“Jesus
Christ, I hate all of this free advice!” I sweep my fingers through
my hair.
“Free
advice just means you have a family that cares about you,” she
quips.
At
that moment, the buzzer rings, announcing someone has opened the door
behind me.
Shit.
“Welcome
to The House of Ink and Steel,” Josh announces.
“Hi
there!” Adrienne coos with the biggest smile. “You must be Quinn.
I’m so excited to meet you.”
“Thanks.”
She sounds unsure and distrustful.
“This
is Adrienne, she’s been working here for forever,” Josh says.
“Oh
yeah! Since Liam opened the place.”
“It’s
impressive, Liam.”
When
Quinn says my name, I feel as if I could melt.
“Would
you like the tour?” Josh asks her when I don’t answer fast
enough.
“I’d
love it,” Quinn says. “You know, I’ve watched you on Ink
Master.”
She’s
still talking to me.
“Really?
You watch that show?” I finally turn to face her.
“Well,
only when you’ve been a guest judge. Guess I’m partial to your
work as an artist.” She bites her lip and her gaze drops to the
floor.
It’s
her shy look. Her I-want-to-hide look.
“Come
on, I’ll show you the alcoves.” Josh takes her arm in his. “Talon
and Ryder do quite a lot more work around here than he does.”
As
he leads her through the place Adrienne comes close and whispers in
my ear, “It’s going to be alright, Liam. The universe has a way
of working things through when it’s the right time.”
“At
least one of us believes that.”
“Don’t
be so cynical,” she scolds. “You just got handed a second
chance.”
Before
I can shoot her a dirty look, Josh and Quinn come back through the
lobby. “Let’s get some lunch,” Josh says. “I’m famished.”
I
give Adrienne a kiss on her cheek. Even though she’s just
frustrated the living hell out of me, I know she cares.
We
step out into the parking lot.
“I
like the family SUV look you’ve got going on here,” I razz Josh,
who used to drive a sleek Gillette Vertigo around. He still has it,
but now he also owns a souped-up (with all the safety features) Chevy
Tahoe. It has a pink flowered car seat in the back, which I’m
sitting next to, along with the toys I had to push over to make room
for my ass. A purple sippy cup sits in the drink holder next to Josh.
“Wouldn’t
have it any other way,” he admits with a shit-eating grin.
“I’d
love to meet your family.” Quinn smiles over at him from the
passenger seat.
“I
can make that happen,” he tells her.
Soon,
though, Josh drives the scenic route around Lake Calhoun.
“Look!”
He indicates the colorful snow kites gliding over the frozen lake.
Before anyone protests, he pulls into the recreation area’s parking
lot.
“It’s
been a long time since I’ve seen those,” Quinn says. “It looks
like a kaleidoscope.”
“Good
thing we’re all dressed warmly. Let’s get a closer look.” Josh
turns off the engine. “I could use the fresh air too.”
This
is turning into more than lunch. Before
I lose my cool, I try to get back into the state of mind I had when I
was tatting the guy’s arm.
“Sounds
good,” Quinn says, and that solidifies it.
We
all walk out to the lake’s edge. There’s so much going on here,
even in the middle of February, and it reminds me why I love this
city. Vendors are serving hot cocoa and warm, freshly baked pretzels;
kids are running around in full snow gear, and of course, there are
the snow kites. A snow kite looks a lot like a windsurfer, only it’s
built to stand and sail on ice. The colors remind me of a hot air
balloon festival, when hundreds take to the skies.
“There
must be close to fifty of them,” I say.
“Have
you ever tried it?” Quinn asks, and I realize she’s talking
directly to me.
“No.
I’d fall flat on my ass.” I smile.
“Yeah,
and break it, then I’d be the one carrying you home.” Josh
laughs.
“Asshole.”
I shove him lightly. “You know, Connor’s into it. Has his own
kite and everything. He’s good at it.”
Josh
asks Quinn, “So, where are you living these days?”
“Georgia.
I’ve been there the past few years.”
“Do
you like it?” he prods.
“It’s
hot and humid in the summertime, but the winters aren’t so bad.”
She shrugs. “I sort of like the storms that blow through.”
She
didn’t really answer his question.
“It’s
really cool you two became such close friends.” She stares off
dreamily at the kites.
“Yeah,
I put up with him,” Josh quips and shoves my shoulder. “You two
entertain each other for a second, I need to use the loo.”
I’m
going to kill the fucker. I
have no idea what to say! And obviously neither does she, as we both
just stand there, painfully uncomfortable.
“Adrienne
seems sweet,” Quinn finally says.
“Yeah,
she’s cool.”
“How
long have the two of you known each other?”
“Since
I opened shop six years ago.” I watch a novice kiter fall on his
ass. I
know how you feel, buddy, I
think.
“Six
years is a long time,” she says.
“I
guess.” I just shrug my shoulders. I’m
now plotting the ways I’m going to kill Josh. “You
never did finish telling Josh if you liked living in Georgia.”
“The
people are really nice. I love the southern hospitality and big
smiles. The people make you feel really welcome.” She continues,
“I’ve made some great friends.”
“But?”
I say, while I crane my neck towards the bathrooms.
“But
…?”
“It’s
an easy question, do
you like living
in Georgia?” It comes out more rough-edged than I intend it to.
“Yes,
I do,” she snaps back at me.
Perfect,
I’ve made her angry.
Trying
to save this conversation, which is already a train wreck, I try,
“I’d miss the winter too much, I think, to live down south.”
“I
miss the winter, the smell in the air and the prickly feel of the
cold on your face,” she says, then slowly states. “I’ve been
thinking for a while now about … maybe … moving back up into this
area.”
It’s
a big city, but not big enough. “Would your boyfriend go for
that?” FUCK! Way
to be subtle. And
I don’t even want her to answer that! “You
know, Josh is taking a long fucking time. I’m going to walk by the
bathroom and see what’s taking him so long.”
I
walk away fast, hoping she’ll forget that I asked her anything. Now
I’m getting pissed off because I’m acting like a fucking
teenager!
“Wait,
I’ll go with you,” she says, catching up.
Without
paying her much mind, I throw open the door of the men’s bathroom
and walk inside, calling Josh’s name. When I get no answer, I come
back out.
“Did
you see him?” I ask.
“No.”
She looks at me like I’m nuts. “Maybe he had to go to the car to
get something.”
We
walk together out into the parking lot, until we’re standing in the
empty space Josh’s SUV had
been parked
in.
“Okay
… that’s weird. You know, I’ll just call him.” She fumbles
through her coat pockets. “He may have gotten a call from …
Sophie … my phone isn’t here. Oh, shit! I just remembered, Josh
asked if he could borrow my cell phone when his battery died. He must
not have given it back to me.”
“I’ve
got mine.” I feel my jacket’s inner lining and find only a piece
of paper.
Sorry,
Liam. Josh made me do it. Adrienne
I
close my eyes as the reality of what Josh just pulled off becomes
completely clear.
“That
asshole!” I look around the lot, hoping it isn’t what I think.
“What
is it?”
“He
drove us out here, left us on purpose, and stranded us further by
confiscating our fucking phones!” I’m fuming.
How
the fuck could he do that to me? What the fuck would make him think
this was a good idea?
I
hear a soft giggle beside me. I peer over to see Quinn trying to
stifle her laughter behind her mitten-covered hand.
“It
isn’t funny!” I state. “It’s a five mile hike back to my
place.”
That
doesn’t stop her. Her response grows from a giggle to an all-out
laughing fit.
“He
didn’t even fucking feed us!” I growl.
But
her eyes still sparkle when she laughs, and it sounds so good and
beautiful I can’t help but get sucked into it.
“You
think it’s funny?” I reluctantly smile at her.
She
nods with tears in her eyes.
I
have to hand it to him, this is definitely one way to force us
together.
About The Author
Allie Juliette Mousseau is a USA
Today Bestselling author.
She can always be found writing, playing
in puddles with her children, hiking with her husband, or adventuring somewhere
in the world. Her favorite place to write on warm days is outdoors, but when
the weather gets too cold, she'll be inside at her desk inspired by the
mountain view from her home office in Montana where she lives with her loving
husband, children, and golden retriever. She loves to travel and lived for
three years in her RV with her family while visiting the national parks and
forests of the U.S. and a couple Canadian provinces. She is excited to add all
of Canada and Alaska in the near future!
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“I received a free copy
of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no
way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my
own”
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