Review: Marking Her - Elena M. Reyes

Talan Cox wants to mark Maya—with more than his ink. The owner of a prominent tattoo shop, he’s used to being hit on by easy women. Though “easy” is not a word associated with Maya when she comes in to support her friend. Flirtation ensues, but what will it take to break the painted man.

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Review:

Wow, this story has so much potential I could not put it down. This author is completely new to me, so that, added to the first person story left me a bit apprehensive at how much I would actually enjoy the story. I'm not a big fan of stories told in the first person, so admittedly that may have colored my reaction to the book at first. However, that quickly changed.

Although the story is relatively short, it moves at a decent pace. You never feel as if the author is rushing through scenes just to get to the end. The ease of the interaction between the characters lend to the feeling of comradeship in the shop. These guys aren't just coworkers. They're friends and family as well.

I admit I was a bit surprised at Talan. Here we have a big, tough, inked tattoo artist who essentially falls hard the moment he lays eyes on this tiny scrap of a woman the second she walks in to his shop. So having him be the one to push for taking things slow was a refreshing change. I wouldn't say there were sparks when these two initially unlikely characters meet. It was more of a palpable heat than actual sparks. It was refreshing to not have them tearing at each others' clothes by the second chapter. However, you know that when Maya and Talan do decide to go there, anyone in the vicinity is likely to get singed if they're not too careful. I absolutely loved their interactions. Talan is very much the big, bad, domineering alpha but Maya manages to not only go toe to toe with him, but she brings out his softer, caring side. Which I can only assume by his friends' amused reactions, never happens.

So if I essentially loved pretty much everything about Marking Her why only four stars? One word... Cliffhanger. First person plus a cliffhanger ending equals a slightly annoyed reader. Is the story a good one? Most definitely. Are the characters enjoyable and entertaining? Yes. Is there some needed drama or conflict to keep things from getting boring? Sure. But now I'm left dangling, having to get the next book just to find out what happens next. Is it worth it? I believe so. Reyes is an entertaining author who managed to keep me engaged throughout the story, so I will definitely be reading more of her work.