Book Review: Under His Skin by Sidney Bristol

Blurb:
A woman who doesn’t believe she deserves love...

Toe-curling kisses and enough sex to fill a weekend were all Pandora wanted from a fling with her teenage crush. She’s never forgotten how he played the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. She’s ready to say thank you in several naughty ways, so long as she can walk away when it’s over with her heart intact.

A man moving on from tragedy...

Brian has no intention of allowing the feisty tattoo artist to leave after one taste. He hasn’t had enough of her inked curves. The packaging might have changed, but Pandy is the woman he hasn’t been able to excise from his memory. He’s ready to put together a new life, one that includes her.

But Brian isn’t the only one vying for Pandora’s attention. Someone else wants her, dead or alive.



I was really interested in UNDER HIS SKIN when I saw the cover and read the blurb. Tattoos are a bit of an obsession with me; after I got my first one, I just wanted to keep going back for more. So of course, I was intrigued by the prospect of reading a romance that had a tattoo parlor (and female tattoo artist) as part of the story. Each chapter is headed by an important tattoo definition, and as I read, I noticed how the lead-off was related to the chapter it headed. Not only did this contribute to the overall authenticity of the book, but it also taught me a few things I didn't previously know.

I really enjoyed Pandora and Brian's relationship. Though they have a history that includes a very painful experience of Pandora's, the two manage to muddle along. And I say, muddle along, because their relationship isn't easy or their love instant. The two have an attraction, and don't try to stop themselves from ending up in bed together, but the rest develops in a real-time and real-life sort of way, over the course of the whole novella. Again, Sidney Bristol demonstrates an authenticity to the process of love and the pattern of a relationship here, just as she does with the parts involving tattoos and their artistry.

Ultimately, even with the involvement of the tattoo parlor, UNDER HIS SKIN is a story of Pandora coming to terms with her past, learning to trust Brian, and giving their relationship a try. Brian too, has a past that haunts him, and though he is quicker to recognize his feelings, the two actually go through a process to get to love. Especially with Pandora's ex, Robert, lurking in the shadows. Bristol brings to life an enjoyable erotic romance that wasn't just about the sex, and introduces characters that I hope to see in further SO INKED books.

Book Rating:
13/15
4 stars
A-

Goodreads
Barnes and Noble | Ellora's Cave | Amazon

About The Author:
It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


This book was provided by Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for my honest review only