About the Book

The hardest thing a rebel can do isn’t standing up for something — it’s standing up for himself.

Life takes delight in stabbing Gus Scott in the back when he least expects it. After years of running from his past, present and the dismal future every social worker predicted for him, Karma delivers the one thing Gus could never—would never—turn his back on; a son from a one-night stand he’d had after a devastating break-up three years ago.

Returning to San Francisco and to 415 Ink, his family’s tattoo shop, gave him the perfect shelter to battle his personal demons and get himself together… until the firefighter who’d broken him walked back into Gus’s life.

For Rey Montenegro, tattoo artist Gus Scott was an elusive brass ring, a glittering prize he hadn’t the strength or flexibility to hold onto. Severing his relationship with the mercurial tattoo artist hurt but Gus hadn’t wanted the kind of domestic life Rey craved, leaving Rey with an aching chasm in his soul.

When Gus’s life and world starts to unravel, Rey helps him pick up the pieces, and Gus wonders if that forever Rey wants is more than just a dream.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: Series

Series Detail: 415 Ink, book 1

Series Arc: new relationship

Publication Date: December 29, 2017
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: Novel, 240 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person, limited to two main characters
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male
Identities: Gay
Age Range(s): 30 to 34, 26 to 29
Genre(s): Contemporary

Tropes and Tags: abusive elements, emotional agony, best friend’s sibling, body art tattoos/piercings, chosen family, reunion/second chance romance
Settings & Locales: San Francisco, California
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | KOBO

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.

Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author.

Back Porch Thoughts

Rating

4.5 Stars

Rating Info

Ratings stick closely to the GoodReads standards. Occasionally I’ll make note of half-star ratings and will typically round up on GoodReads reviews and other sites where I may cross-post.

Stars	Goodreads	What this means to me
5	AMAZING	This totally knocked my socks off, and I might end up a crazed fan (from a respectable distance).
4	Really Liked	This was truly enjoyable, and I’d recommend it.
3	Liked	It was good, and I’m glad I read it, but I may have had some issues.
2	It was okay	There were likable parts but I definitely had issues.
1	Didn't like	I read the whole thing but....
1 DNF	Didn't like	I read past 50% (at least) before giving up.
0 DNF	No Rating	I couldn't even make it to 50%, but I still feel the need to share my thoughts.

Review

YAY! A new series!!!!! Tattoo Artists!!! Second Chance Romance!!! Chosen Family!!!!

Y’all, I am excited and, as always with a Rhys Ford book, head-over-heels filled with glee to get my hands on this.

The beginning got off to a minor clunky start — which just might’a simply been me not catching on fast enough which way was up and who was who, whose head I was in, what was the past and what was the now of the story. But the clouds parted fast enough that I was IN it in the way I am with all of Rhys’ stories from the sights and sounds to a litany of emotions.

This story is a killer on the feels. The back stories are painful and violent with parental malevolence I can barely fathom, and it tore me to shreds.

But look — chosen family — that’s the key to this whole thing. The men here have a brotherhood bond that is stronger than what I witness in genetic siblings. They banter, they tease, they’re each others strength and voice of reason. They are in it forever, all for one and one for all.

Rey and Gus — they also have that enduring tie that binds. They’ve got tons of history, a lot of it painful, tons of knots to untangle in order to forge their way forward. Every one of those strings tugged at my heart.

Gus needed to come home to move beyond his tragic past, but also to step up to the plate for a new life-long responsibility of raising the son he’s just learned about. Rey is either a distraction he could do without or the extra bit of strength and reassurance he needs.

It’s no secret I’m in love with just about every word Rhys Ford writes. Snatching up her books is an automatic, I don’t even have to ponder it for a second. She’s pretty well known for dead bodies and scary things, some mystery or madness. This is straight-up contemporary, which she doesn’t do so often. But don’t get any ideas that it’s all hearts and rainbows because this book is a throat punch of emotion.

Despite the start, that could have been my fault as a reader, and despite the horrors of horrific childhoods, this was gorgeous.

About the Author

Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the world. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain. Rhys admits to sharing the house with cats of varying degrees of black fur and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.

Connect:

Website | Email | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads