Teddypig’s review of Skin by Bernadette Gardner
Paranormal erotic romance ebook released by Ellora’s Cave 25 Jan 08

First off, I would like to say GOOD JOB! to Les Byerley for the most excellent cover of this eBook. Les is more! (so to speak) It has been a long time since I could say that to an Ellora’s Cave cover artist.

Now, for the rest of the story…

Tattoo-less and clue-less Makena Brady walks in the door of SkIntense Body Art and into the arms of Darq Stone tattoo artist with the Verakos veins.

Bernadette Gardner did a fantastic job with the sex scenes in this book. We are talking tattoos not just being sexy, but getting one sounds like a masochistic wet dream. So as far as sex scenes go for an Erotic Romance, this book rocked.

But… there should be more than just sex scenes here and that is where we get into trouble.

“I like it here. This world is too crowded for the Gemii to find us. We’re almost indistinguishable from six billion other souls here.”
Heath paced the kitchen. “Almost isn’t good enough. I know you think I worry too much, but I’m old enough to remember what the Gemii did to the crèche. You’re not.”
“You’ve told me about the massacre enough times.”
“Then you should take the threat of being found more seriously.”
Darq finished his coffee, set the cup in the sink and braced his hands on the counter. Even with his back to his partner, he knew his aura would tell Heath what he was thinking. “I’m getting tired of running, but I’m not foolish enough to think we’ve outsmarted the Gemii for good. I’ll be ready to go when the time comes.”
“Good. As long as you’re aware the time may come sooner than you think.”

There was tons of talking scenes like this between Darq Stone and Heath Gyland and *All you do to me is talk talk* is all you are gonna get here. No real threats pop up that I can see, no real evidence that there really truly are strange dangerous beings from another world hunting them down.

“I’m giving her the choice. If she chooses me, I’m staying here. I’m not moving on with you.”
Heath stepped back, dropping his hand. His eyes flared with indignation. “That’s not your right. What about the Gemii?”

What about me? What about my needs as a reader? What have you done to prove these bad guys are still after you? What have you done to make me believe this crazy story you keep gabbing about? *All you do to me is talk talk, When every choice that I make is yours, Keep telling me what’s right and what’s wrong*

So at the end Heath Gyland throws a hissy fit and runs off to worlds unknown *or so he says* and Darq gives Makena an ink job and I am left wondering if Heath just wants Darq’s hot magically delicious body for himself because the man definitely was following Darq’s sex life just a bit too close for comfort there boyyyy.

Grade: D

Blurb:

Her body is his canvas.

When Makena Brady walks into SkIntense Body Art, she expects nothing more than a little prick, and a small tattoo to satisfy her quest for independence from her “good girl” lifestyle. What she gets instead is a sensual awakening.

Darq Stone is an artist and Makena’s body is the perfect canvas. He works his magic on her, bringing her to the edge of reason with a temporary tattoo airbrushed on her inner thigh.

Enthralled by the excitement of lying nearly naked while he paints on her, Makena yearns for more, but can she handle the real thing? Darq is much more than he seems and once he brands her with a permanent mark, she’ll be drawn into his world forever.

Read an excerpt.

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