After leaving high school, with a hard won diploma and the title of most likely to break hearts, Alexander “Nix” Pierce has left his wild, out of control years mostly behind him. A small inheritance from his grandfather has given him the funds to open up his tattoo shop, Freefall, and he has started to pull his life together. Aside from trying to keep his best friend, Dray, from killing himself in the fight ring, and his slight obsession with a pin-up model he’s never met, Nix’s life is going smoothly . . . until Scotlyn James, the object of his obsession, walks into his shop.

Ever since a tragic accident killed her family and left her alone in the world, Scotlyn James hasn’t spoken one word. Up until now she didn’t care that she had no way of talking to people. Her awful aunt would never have listened, and Lincoln Hammond the arrogant, selfish man who pulled her from the streets of Los Angeles wouldn’t hear her words if she could speak. But when Lincoln insists she get a tattoo to cover up a scar on her side, Scotlyn meets the artist, Nix Pierce. And now she longs for her voice. Now she has found someone who will hear her.

Scotlyn James has lived a hard life. She was in an accident where her whole family died and she hasn’t spoken since. After living a short time with a bible thumping aunt she ran away and lived on the streets and did what she had to do to survive – which wasn’t always pretty. She was saved by a rich man who took her off the streets and gave her a home. She cared for Lincoln but she didn’t love him. As the time went on he got more and more controlling and she starts thinking about the future and what she will do when she leaves him. Scotlyn has a long scar on her torso due to the accident and as it bothers Lincoln (because she’s not perfect) he arranges to have a tattoo drawn over the scar. This is when Scotlyn meets Nix.

Nix is the owner of the tattoo studio called Freefall. He was basically in a freefall with his life when he decided to purchase the shop and his life settled down. He still has crazy friends but the stream of women and the destructive lifestyle has stopped. He’s a good man who takes care of his grandmother who has Alzheimers and tries to take care of his friends as well – who aren’t all over the destructive lifestyle. When he meets Scotlyn he knows it’s destiny as he’s carried her a pinup picture of her in his wallet for a year. They are instantly attracted to each other but Lincoln isn’t going to let Scotlyn anywhere near Nix as he can tell that there’s a vibe between them.

Nix arranges for Scotlyn to sit with his mother during the day and help her write her memoirs before she loses her memories for good. Scotlyn is thrilled to be doing something independent and she also sees Nix without Lincoln’s interference. Lincoln, however, is not giving up control of his woman and with his shady business deals he’s involved her more than she ever thought.

This is my first time reading this author and I have to say that I there was a lot about her style of writing that I liked. She wrote likable characters who just average every day citizens and I liked that about them.
 
The instant connection between Scotlyn and Nix was great. The tension could have been cut with a knife and though I don’t normally like stories with infidelity I could see how they might go too far – even with Scotlyn still attached to Lincoln. The romance itself didn’t bowl me over because there actually wasn’t much of it. There was the connection and then it was like they were just together. Don’t get me wrong, some of the conversations they had were very sweet and touching I just wish there had been more of a “getting to know” period. I think this would have been beneficial to me as a reader as well as there were things I would have like to know like….how old were these people? I didn’t have a clue. With everything that Nix had lived through I would think 25-28. Maybe? Scotlyn? I have NO CLUE. We knew how old she was when she ran away from her aunt and she mentions that she probably wouldn’t have seen her 18th birthday with Lincoln saving her but how long ago was that? Also, Nix had no clue what Scotlyn’s last name was. I found this strange. He even says in the book:

You own my heart, and yet, I don’t even know your last name.

IDK, sometimes it just seemed too far too fast for me. They were great together, don’t get me wrong, but I think I needed some more time in there without the insta-love.

Now there were some secondary characters that I really liked. Dray, Nix’s best friend, was kind of an ass who was a fighter and seemed like he was purposely self-destructing. Nix’s friend Grace, who worked at the tattoo parlor, had a thing for Dray but he wouldn’t admit his feelings about her. Then there was Clutch who was close to be a self-made millionaire but was just one of the guys. He was tormented by a 17 year old that he actually really liked but he wouldn’t let himself go there because of her age. He denied it and himself constantly. Again, it would have been nice to know how old Clutch was to Taylor’s 17. Clutch went to school with Nix so were they the same age? Was the reason he had a hang up about Tayor’s age (besides the fact that she wasn’t legal) because he was so much older than her? I don’t have a clue. 

Lincoln, no doubt about it, was a complete ass.  I think way down deep in his black, black heart he cared for Scotlyn but he saw her more as a commodity to be used and controlled than anything else.  I was more than happy to see Scotlyn away from him in the end but I can’t say I really believed that he would give her up that easily – even after everything went down.  It kind of was wrapped up to easily for my liking. 

In the end there was more to like here than there wasn’t. It was definitely a compelling story as I sat and read it all in one sitting. The characters undeniably led a much different lifestyle but that was fun to read about as well. While I think the romance could have had more to it I liked the book and would absolutely read more from this author in the future.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Tess Oliver