Title: The Darkest Link
Series: Second Circle Tattoos Book #4
Author: Scarlett Cole
Genre: Romance
Blurb: When her car breaks down off the side of a lonely highway far from her sunny Miami home, tattoo artist Lia never expected her very own white knight to ride up on the back of a barely street-legal motorcycle…and she never expected to fall for her dark savior. After a string of failed relationships and a bruised heart, Lia is not looking for forever, and the hot mechanic, with his sexy scruff and shaggy hair, is simply impossible to resist and the perfect candidate for mind-blowingly-perfect, no-strings-attached one night stand.
Reid left his life in Chicago far behind him and hasn’t been back, but he’s never been able to escape the guilt he feels about his own painful role in inviting a monster into his baby sister’s life. A monster who almost destroyed her. Being with Lia is an unexpected gift, one he doesn’t feel he deserves, and their one night together has him wanting more than he should. Especially since she doesn’t know the truth about his past. However, when he finds Lia’s bracelet in his bed, he has the perfect excuse to drive down and surprise her at her tattoo studio, Second Circle Tattoos, in Miami. He’s in for an even bigger shock – and a fist to the face – when his past and present collide in the humid Miami weather when he runs into the last person he’d ever expect to see in a tattoo studio: Harper, the sister he betrayed, and the last link to his former life.
Favorite excerpt: “Do I look dressed for manual labor?” Lia looked down at her shoes and shrugged.
“Not one bit.” He laughed. “You look dressed for sunshine, sushi, and saki.”
“Any other S words?” she asked playfully, placing her hand on his side which was, Lord God, so freaking solid.
He leaned forward and slowly ran a finger down one of her curls, watching the way it bounced back into place. It was a simple move, and shouldn’t have aroused her like it did. Kenny placed his lips next to her ear. “Slipping, sliding, seducing, sucking, screwing, and sexual.” He stepped back. “Will those do you, Red?” he asked gruffly.
Thoughts: It all started with a pair of legs….. I knew as soon as I started The Darkest Link that it was going to be an A+ for me. Less than 10% into the book and I already had a long list of favorite quotes, excerpts, and bookmarks to add to my review. I was well and truly hooked from the start! I was already familiar with Scarlett Cole, having read one of the prior books in this series, The Purest Hook (book #2) – which also went down as a favorite book of mine. I was also familiar with most of the characters. In The Darkest Link, we have Lia and Reid who met on the side of the highway when Lia’s car breaks down. The chemistry and the draw between these characters is immediate and you feel that connection right away. I love the personalities of both main characters which the author makes so distinct. I loved the story. I loved the cute little nicknames between Lia and Reid. I just loved the whole damn thing! Period.
Not only would I advise any romance reader to grab The Darkest Link, but read any book in this series. The romance is enough to pull at your heartstrings, the scenes are hot, hot, HOT, and the story is compelling. I haven’t read books one or two of the series, but I am definitely up for catching up on those! Scarlett Cole has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and I hope to read much more from her in the future! In the meantime, I will most definitely be exploring her backlisted books.
Rate: A+
