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A savior lies in the heart of every good man, but sometimes only love can awaken the man inside the savior. The world’s had it out for San Francisco firefighter Mace Crawford from the moment he was born. Rescued from a horrific home life and dragged through an uncaring foster system, he’s dedicated his life to saving people, including the men he calls his brothers. As second-in-command of their knitted-together clan, Mace guides his younger siblings, helps out at 415 Ink, the family tattoo shop, and most of all, makes sure the brothers don’t discover his darkest secrets. It’s a lonely life with one big problem—he’s sworn off love, and Rob Claussen, one of 415 Ink’s tattoo artists, has gotten under his skin in the worst way possible. Mace’s world is too tight, too controlled to let Rob into his life, much less his heart, but the brash Filipino inker is there every time Mace turns around. He can’t let Rob in without shaking the foundations of the life he’s built, but when an evil from his past resurfaces, Mace is forced to choose between protecting his lies and saving the man he’s too scared to love.
5 out of 5 (exceptional)
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is book two in the 415 Ink series, and while not totally necessary, I would recommend that you read book one, Rebel first. Not least because I said so, but it will give you a little bit more understanding of these men and how their family works.
When Mace's past comes back into his life, will he let his demons beat him? Or will he finally start to believe that Rob, that HE is worth it?
Okay.
So!
After reading Rebel, I knew Ms Ford was gonna wreck me, but silly me started this book in my lunch break at work and I was woefully unprepared with what Ford was throwing at me!
These five men, brothers in all ways but blood, have a strong tight bond but Mace thinks they will disown him when they find out what his father made him do as a child. And those things that he did? No one should have to do those things to survive, let alone a ten year old child.
Rob is convinced that Mace hates him, when quite the opposite is true and when they give into the obvious chemistry that has been simmering away?? It boils over in spectacular fashion! Rob has family issues, and I never quite got to grips with what they were but it didn't spoil my reading experience.
But Mace? He really did break my heart! This big strong fireman, who needs noise and needs to leave a nightlight on, broke my freaking heart in the way only Ford can do!
She is, quite simply, a Master at her craft, and I never know what she is going to throw at me. No matter which way you see a story going, it doesn't. It goes off on it's own sweet way, and you just keep page turning and page turning until, well, until you run out of book and you are left with a little paragraph that throws you into the next book!
All these guys have history, there are little snippets and hints thrown in here that makes your brain think about Bear, about Ivo an about Luke. Luke I'm finding the most tight lipped of them all and it's HIS story I want to read next, but Ivo is up first, I think. Bear and Ivo have a tale to tell and I just wonder what Ford is going to throw at us for the remaining three brothers.
I just want to read them all, but no matter what you THINK will come out, you know, you jut KNOW that Ford will blow that all out of the window and I will be left a blubbering mess in my lunch break and I will have to face customers with red eyes! And I WILL, and I won't care.
Because I simply CANNOT fault this book!
5 stunning and emotional stars **same worded review will appear elsewhere**
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and was a 2016 LAMBDA finalist with her novel, Murder and Mayhem. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications. She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo cat and Tam, a diabetic black pygmy panther, as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people.