SHATTERED PIECES
HEATHENS INK SERIES, BOOK 4
K.M. NEUHOLD
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 10.31.17
COVER DESIGN: K.M. Neuhold
COVER PHOTO: StockPhoto
AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2zZWnl2
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2zOYkj9
BLURB
“I was sure my heart had withered away years ago, but then you smiled at me and I felt it beat again.” ~Gage
Years ago, I fell in love with my best friend's little brother. Then, he took his own life, leaving me shattered and unable to piece my heart back together. I've been a zombie for nine long years. Until a crazy, gorgeous man walked into Heathens Ink and injected color back into my world of gray. No matter how hard I try to resist Beck he just won’t give up on me. I would need steel willpower to withstand his gorgeous long legs in his high heels, and his drawer full of lacy lingerie. But is this just a kinky hook up or does it have the possibility for more?
“We're both broken, but our jagged edges fit together well” ~ Beck
When you’re half of a whole you never contemplate what life would be like without your matching piece. Since my twin sister, Brianna, died last year, nothing I do seems to quiet my soul. I know there has to be some way for me to feel happy and whole again. And, when I look into the pained eyes of the tattoo artist at Heathens Ink I feel like I have a purpose. I can’t explain it, but I feel like I have to find a way to put him back together.
EXCERPT
“Dance with me.” Beck holds his hand out to me. His eyes spark with amusement at what I’m sure is the obvious horror in my expression.
“I don’t dance.”
“Come on, you’re supposed to be trying fun, new things. I’m not expecting Fred Astaire, just stand in my general vicinity and nod your head to the beat.”
I sigh in resignation and take Beck’s hand, refusing to notice how soft his skin is or how good it feels to touch someone, however casually.
Still clutching my hand, Beck starts to dance. He starts out tame, simply swaying to the music. But, before long he’s spinning and shimmying like a ballerina on crack. Even being goofy and over the top he’s utterly graceful. And the joy in his expression is heartbreaking in its beauty.
When he spins out and then into my arms like a tango dancer, a laugh escapes from my chest, too full of a warmth to contain it.
“You have a really nice laugh,” Beck says, smiling up at me.
My heart thuds violently against my ribcage. Some long-forgotten place in my brain wakes up from its long slumber and starts to make irrational demands like kiss him and make Beck mine.
I pull my arms back, forcing a smile as blood rushes in my ears. Beck isn’t mine. He can never be mine. I had someone who was mine and I broke him beyond repair.
“I’m afraid I’m a bit rusty,” I admit with chagrin.
“Never too late to pick it back up again,” Beck reasons, stepping close again but not so close to warrant another retreat on my part.
His lips are rosy pink and so soft, slightly parted and unbelievably tempting. I can’t remember if we were discussing laughing or kissing and I don’t really care.
“For the first time in a long time I’m starting to wonder if that’s true.” The hope my statement sparks in Beck’s eyes forces me to backpedal as guilt washes over me. “It feels wrong to imagine happiness is possible, even in some vague, future way.”
“I’m not going to give you any trite bullshit like saying Johnny would’ve wanted you to be happy. I didn’t know Johnny and even if I had there’s no way to know what he would’ve wanted because he’s gone. But you’re still here. You still have a life, a heart, and the right to be happy whether now or in a vague future.” The way Beck holds my gaze is like a cobra ensnaring a mouse. “You don’t need Johnny’s permission to move on and be happy. You only need to give yourself permission.”
4 Stars
It’s been almost 10 years, but Gage still hasn’t gotten past the loss of his boyfriend and love of his life, Johnny. When Beck meets Gage, he finds in him a kindred spirit, someone who understands loss. It’s been a year since Beck lost his sister, but it still hurts each and every day. Can these two men help put the shattered pieces of their hearts back together and maybe find love along the way?
Stories like this scare me. When a loved one dies you tend to forget all the bad things about them and only remember the good things and the happy times. It’s impossible for a potential new partner to compete with a ghost and that’s what scared me about this story and stories like it.
I was right to be a bit scared, not so much for the fact that Gage felt Beck couldn’t measure up, but because Gage couldn’t let go. He feels extremely guilty for the feelings he’s developing for Beck. Scared that his heart isn’t big enough to love both men or that maybe he’ll forget Johnny if he lets himself fall in love with Beck.
I liked both Beck and Gage and I loved that Beck was so persistent. He was persistent without being too pushy and he knew when to pull back and give Gage the space he needed. I loved the slow progression of their relationship. It was a well-developed and fleshed out and I really felt like I knew these characters.
Gage and Beck fit well together and I loved that Beck really knew who he was and was proud of it. He was comfortable in his own skin and I loved that Gage not only embraced Beck’s love for pretty, lacy things, but I loved how hot he was for it and how much it turned him on. Beck and Gage had out of this world chemistry and they sizzled in bed. Omg, was the sex smoking hot!! I think there was steam coming from my iPad at one point!
I haven’t read the other stories in the series and while I think the story was okay as a standalone, the main characters from the previous books are featured heavily throughout the story and at times I had a hard time keeping track of who was who.
Still, this was an enjoyable, at times heartbreaking, but mostly sweet and sexy read! I’m not really a ménage reader, but I’ll definitely be checking out the other two MM books in this series, and I’m looking forward to Clay’s story. This is only my second book by this author, but I’ve really enjoyed both and will definitely be waiting for future releases as well as checking out more of the past works. Very recommendable!
*copy provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Shattered Pieces is book 4 in K.M. Neuhold's Heathens Ink series. This book probably could be read as a standalone, but the whole series ties together and characters are reoccurring throughout the series so I think more enjoyment will be found in reading the whole series in the appropriate order. Gage is a character we met in the first book, and his story is very tied into the story of the character in book 3. So, read them all from the very beginning!
Going into this book, I knew Gage's background and why he was so closed off (there's a free novella of Gage and Johnny that you can read. I had no interest in reading this heartbreaking story!). At a young age, Gage promised his first love forever and when Jay took his own life, Gage just stopped living. He went through the motions every day, but he really was just existing while thinking of his love. But, Gage is going to get the shake-up he needs from the truly spectacular Beck! I think Beck will truly be one of my favorite characters of all time. Beck was just everything! He understands heartbreak with his loss of his twin sister, but he decided to live. He danced because he loved to. He wore makeup because he loved to. He wore heels because he wanted to. And, when it came down to it, he quit his father's law firm, because he wanted to. Beck saw the broken Gage and decided to bring him back to life, and the journey was everything I could have hoped for.
This was not a quick, instalove, HEA story. Gage has spent 10 years mourning his lover's death and choosing not to live. I loved the way the author wrote him coming back to life. You could see him fight to stay submerged in his misery, and practically see the nail grooves from Beck dragging him back to life. But, like I said, Beck makes this story and I don't think any other man could have been the perfect foil for Gage. For all of Gage's darkness, depression, and unhappiness, Beck met and exceeded with the very opposite. Beck was persistent. And I loved how comfortable he was in his own skin, with his own needs and wants. And in this book with such sadness, Beck made me smile and laugh! How could Gage not fall in love with him? I did, too!
Honestly though, for me, the dream conversations with the dead love and being given permission to move on, was overdone and just too much. I get it, it's the subconscious of the dreamer to get the permission so he can finally let go, but it's just done too much. But, other than this, I thought this story was fantastic! I love every book in the series, and I don't like to pick favorites, but this is definitely my favorite. I think this is truly the best of the series! I love that with each book you can see the growth in the author's writing and just see the series continue to grow stronger!
Rating: 5 stars!
I'm an author of m/m and new adult romance. I have a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well.
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