TOUR REVIEW: Tattooed Dots by Kimberly Knight

April 25, 2014 Kristi Blog Tour 1 ★★★★½

Tattooed Dots

Series: Halo, 1

Published on February 11, 2014

Easton Crawford put his modeling career and good looks before his marriage until it was over. Years later, he is finally learning how to be the father his daughter needed him to be. He’s not looking for a new mom for his daughter—just nightly casual hook-ups. When his best friend, Avery, convinces him that a good way to meet a lot of single women is to go on a single’s cruise, Easton finds more than just a hook-up when he meets a fellow cruiser, Brooke.

Brooke Bradley has taken care of her younger sister, Bailee, for most of their lives. While their mother was enjoying not being a mother, Brooke became the adult in the household at thirteen. She had always taken care of the people in her life, especially her boyfriend, Jared. If it wasn’t for Brooke, Jared wouldn’t know how to function throughout the day.

When Brooke’s best friend, Nicole, gives her a gift of going on a cruise without telling her that it’s a single’s cruise, will Brooke find someone willing to be her constant and finally leave Jared?

Brooke and Easton learn that people are brought into their lives for many reasons. Over time, they find out what those reasons are. Some are to be a temporary acquaintance while others are there for life.

It was fate that I read this book… really, I’m serious about it being fate. I remember when this book released months ago and I added it to my TBR pile. A love affair on a singles cruise, sounds promising and fun. A unique twist in the ever growing indie book themes. Then one thing led to another, life happened and my ever growing TBR list, well, kept growing. The thing about TBR lists, they only seem to grow, never diminish. Last month I went to a book signing in NYC with one of my besties. My first girls weekend in over a year! Woo-hoo. It was a great time. After the signing while drin…I mean mingling in the hotel bar, my bestie and I met three amazing authors. Guess who one turned out to be? Yep, Kimberly Knight. After promising her I’d read her books weekly while keeping in touch via Facebook, her tour popped up and I immediately signed up. Picking a book at random, I chose Tattooed Dots. I started to read the synopsis and thought to myself…OMG…this is the book I wanted to read… it’s on my TBR list. Boo-Yah!

For the minute I started this story, I was captivated by Brooke and Easton. These characters are written so well that I feel like they’re MY friends. I loved that we meet Easton years ago and he’s made some dick choices. After cheating on his wife, repeatedly, he’s seeking a divorce and joint custody of his daughter. Kimberly writes a young Easton as that guy we all knew at 21. The self proclaimed ladies man who is hot and wants to sleep around. He’s cocky, arrogant, and well, a dick.

“I knew you were fucking the help,” said the familiar voice of my past that wouldn’t leave me alone…

“The ‘help’, as you so call her, can go all night and not have to stop after one organism,” I said…

“Fuck you, Easton! Why aren’t you going home to our daughter? It’s so typical of you to pawn her off on your parents.”

I mean he’s a certified ass! (But, come on, we’ve all probably had that one asshole boyfriend, I know I did.) After an unthinkable accident, Easton grows up, and he grows up fast.

This story is told in alternating points of view between Brooke and Easton and takes place about five years after the prologue. Brooke is a hard working 30 year old who is supporting her kid sister in college and lives with a boyfriend who’d rather play video games than converse with his girlfriend. Their relationship is more out of habit and to avoid loneliness, it’s one of convenience. Easton is now more mature and is living in NYC with his daughter. He lives close to his parents who help him with Cheyanne and owns a bar with his best childhood friend, Avery. Halo, their bar, is also the place where Easton finds his next romp and is a certified player. He refuses to even to think about getting into a relationship.

Nicole, Brooke’s best friend, buys her a cruise for her 30th birthday present. It’s a girls trip to Mexico for spring break. Meanwhile, Avery convinces Easton to go on a cruise with him (also to Mexico) in hopes of finding “the one”. (Avery wants to find his future wife and settle down.) The twist, the cruise is a SINGLES cruise, which is such a great, new and fun concept in this genre. While on the cruise, sparks fly between Avery and Nicole, but an attraction develops between Easton and Brooke that is undeniable. But this attraction is more than just lust, it’s a developing friendship and something more than a fling begins between this “player” and “good girl”. Brooke is battling with her attraction to Easton because she has a boyfriend back in Boston, and Easton can’t even think about hooking up with anyone else but Brooke. He can’t believe the feelings he’s beginning to have for this girl. The angst is pretty big in this book and I found myself reading really fast to see when (and IF) these two were ever gonna get their chance.

When these two DO connect, the chemistry is smokin’! I mean…HELLO…

The kiss was hot, eager and I didn’t want it to stop. Kissing her was one of my favorite things in the world. Her lips we always soft, tender and tasted like cherry Chapstick.

And then— Easton becomes this romantic hunk of a guy and is so totally infatuated with Brooke you can’t help but swoon. I mean COME ON…

This was going to be my first time with her, and I wanted it to be perfect. It would be my last first time with anyone.

As the story progresses this romance and relationship begins to develop into so much more. There’s a real story here, not just a fluffy romance with a HEA. This story is one that made my eyes teary and gave my tummy butterflies. Easton proves to be an incredible man, while Brooke finds the courage to seek her own happiness while battling with a deep fear. And if for no other reason, you need to read this book simply to learn why its called Tattooed Dots. (Cue tears.)

This is a great story, filled with likable characters, angst, and heart. I’m so happy that I finally read this book and I can’t wait to read more by Kimberly, including Avery and Nicole’s story!

4.5 Stars!