I enjoyed this tattoo artist/navy sailor romance. The author treated Colin's eating disorder with sensitivity and Daniel made a good match for him. I empathized with Daniel's agonizing decision making over how to balance his parent's religious beliefs with his desire to be out of the closet (and the choice he eventually makes). Overall an enjoyable sexy romance and a good introduction to the series.

I kinda felt bored reading this book. It's bad to say but it's the truth. It's the typical bad boy falling in love with heavy baggage that they refuse to talk about until they have too, I have read so many before so I kinda knew what was going to happen. It's all the same for me. So this book wasn't for me.

Daniel and Colin were really good together- Daniel had lived a somewhat sheltered life, almost repressed. Colin is out and proud, but has his secrets. Both men were a little damaged in their own way, but together, they made an unlikely, but eventually, hot couple.
There is a lot that goes on in the story - their individual struggles leading to their hard won HEA (more HFN to be honest). Good story.

I requested this one back in the day as I had every intention of reading it. However, its been years and I still haven't gotten around to it and while I feel guilty at not reviewing a book I think that I need to admit to myself that I won't be reading this one anytime soon....if at all.

I am a fan of L.A. Witt’s work, but I rarely have the opportunity to review one of her books, here on the blog, so I was doing a little happy dance when I was offered Back Piece. I loved this coming out story of Daniel, a young Navy man from an extremely religious family, and Colin, an openly gay tattoo artist. Daniel and Colin both have issues and secrets they are dealing with, all of which I felt were well-handled and believable. Even though the men are on two different levels when it comes to relationships and sexual experience, both are thoughtful, caring people, who handle their relationship like adults. There is definitely some angst, but just the right amount, and for the right reasons. I loved the vulnerability of both characters, as well as their strength, and quiet confidence. Daniel’s fear of what coming out to his ultra-conservative parents would mean was exceptionally well-done. Ms. Witt gives a decision of that magnitude, especially in these circumstances, the respect and care it deserves. Being privy to Daniel’s inner thoughts and anguish over this decision made me stop and think about how devastating coming out can be for some people. Daniel’s parents aren’t stereotypes, but rather, good people who love their son (albeit, homophobic). People are rarely all bad, and the realistic portrayal of his family worked so much better, and made Daniel’s anguish and decision that much more difficult and emotional. Colin has his own serious issues. I’m not going to spoil anything, but I will say I appreciated his unique situation, his support system, and the opportunity for a different perspective. Although Back Piece deals with several serious and complex issues, it’s still a romance and the growing relationship between these two very different men was fun, super hot, and very emotional.

When tattoo artist Colin Spencer sees sexy sailor Daniel Moore at the gym, he can’t take his eyes off of him. So when Daniel approaches Colin about giving him his first tattoo, Colin is excited to get some more time with the man.

Daniel grew up in a super conservative family who would never accept him being gay. He got out of town and into the military as soon as possible and now finds himself a 26-year-old virgin. Daniel is quite eager to lose that label and when he finds himself attracted to Colin, he gets not only his first tattoo, but his first sexual experience as well. The guys aren’t expecting anything serious to grow out of it, but they are happy to engage in some hot sexual encounters together.

What starts as casual soon turns to more. But Colin has secrets about his past that he needs to share if there is any chance of things growing more serious with Daniel. And Daniel’s family still has no idea he is gay. Part of him wants to tell them and the other knows that will be the end of his relationship with his family. But being with Colin while hiding his sexuality is stressful for Daniel and not easy for Colin either. Now the men must figure out if they can make it through the tough times or if their baggage is going to get in the way of their growing romance.

Back Piece is the first book in L.A. Witt’s Skin Deep Inc series. I really enjoyed the set up here with the shy, virginal Daniel coming into his own with the help of the sweet, sexy Colin. Witt does a nice job here as Daniel experiences the joys of sex and a relationship for the first time. The scenes are sexy and progress nicely from Daniel as an insecure virgin to someone who is comfortable with himself and his sexuality. I like that Daniel’s anxieties about sex feel real and natural and we can see how supportive and caring Colin is.

So while I did enjoy the sexual component here, be aware this is a very sex heavy book and for most of the story, there isn’t a ton going on to flesh it out. Basically the guys meet and aside from the tattooing scenes, mostly what they do is have sex. Now Witt is a great writer for the steamy stuff, but I’ll admit there was a point where I felt like I was just waiting for something else to happen. As the book starts to wind up and things heat up with the coming out storyline, the plot picks up a lot more. But there is a long period (well over half the book) where mostly the storyline is about these guys in bed together.

I think what balances the book out is that Witt does a nice job really developing these characters. Colin, in particular, has a nice backstory and we can really see how it has affected him in general, as well as in a relationship. So I found these guys interesting and that helped keep me engaged. Witt also provides great detail on the Navy and life aboard an aircraft carrier, as well as lots of details into the world of tattooing, both of which really help to develop the story.

So I found this one enjoyable, if a bit slow early on as the focus is primarily on the sex. But I did like these characters and think the story picks up as it goes along. I am looking forward to continuing with this series and following along with more books set in this world.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I really enjoyed all of LA Witt's military books and then the rest of her books are just okay. This book is an okay read, just not one of my favorites.

Really enjoyed this one, a surprisingly sweet book from LA Witt, recommended and will be going on to read the other books in the series.

Collin walked into Seaside Barbell on a wednesday night and stopped in his tracks as the scenery had changed a lot. There were new arrivals - five men in Navy tee shirts filling out new membership forms. Two of the men glanced his way and probably wondered what Collin was staring at. Then Collin went past them into the locker room. The gym was owned by retired navy and they were determined draw in new members from the bases they had access to. Collin owned a tattoo parlor and was also a tattoo artist. Amanda was Collin’s personal trainer but also a nutritionist. Collin kept a food journal and had to go back to his locker to get it for Amanda. Daniel was one of the sailors and a virgin. He had come out to his friends but his parents didn’t know Daniel was shy and gay as they had personal religious beliefs that made them hate gays. When Collin went back to the locker room one of the sailors asked about Collin’s ink and he wanted to get some ink done and Collin told him about his shop and he being a tattoo artist himself. Daniel is attracted to Colin but doesn’t know Collin is also gay. Collin has his secrets that he doesn’t want known and he also doesn’t do commitments. Daniel goes to Collin’s shop for a tattoo and their is an instant attraction between the two men. Collin is the opposite of Daniel as Collin is openly gay and had been a porn star. I accidentally picked this book as I don;t read M/M or F/F just doesn’t interest me. I was glad Collin and Daniel started building a friendship first. But i just couldn’t keep my attention on this book it just wasn’t for me. I wouldn’t rate it if I didn’t have to.

Back Piece was my first book by L.A. Witt, but I was immediately drawn into the story. I enjoyed it a lot and I liked the characters. This is the first book in Witt's Skin Deep, Inc. series and I am definitely looking forward to reading more. While I did like it, there were a few things that kept this one from being a five star read for me though.

Colin is a tattoo artist with a past he prefers to keep a secret. He keeps things casual and doesn't do commitment so that no one gets close enough to learn the truth about him. But when he meets Daniel at the gym, the shy sailor draws him in like no one has in a long time. Daniel is a virgin and after escaping his conservative family, he is looking to finally start being himself. When he spots Colin with all his tattoos, he knows he wants Colin to be the one to help him out. It starts as Colin helping Daniel to learn about sex and get the ink he has always wanted, but soon it turns to more and both begin to wonder if they could possibly have a future together.

I liked both Daniel and Colin. I thought that they worked really well together and that they were good for one another. Both had vulnerabilities and the other really helped them. It was good to see that they were so real and that they each had things that they knew they needed to work on. I love seeing characters progress from the start of a book to the end, and I really felt like both Daniel and Colin did that here. They were sexy together and had great chemistry, and their connection felt real and true.

I will say though that things were a bit repetitive in this book. It often felt like their insecurities were rehashed over and over, so while I liked to see that they were human, I grew tired of the same thing being done several times. I wanted them to get it and move on after a few times. I also felt like the end of this book was very abrupt and that not everything was as resolved as I would have liked. It seems like they had just basically solved the big conflict when all of a sudden the story just ran out of pages. I would have loved to have seen a bit down the line for them, especially in how things played out with Daniel's family. I do think that this book is worth the read though and I will continue the series. I just wish that it hadn't been so repetitive and would have ended on a stronger note for me.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

I thought this was really good. These MC's were two of the most realistic I think I've seen in a romance book. Colin in particular was so well done. He was just so...human. Flawed but still a really good guy who was just trying to get by and be happy. This book looks at some serious issues but it was done in a serious manner without being over the top or unnecessarily angsty. I loved these two as a couple. They were perfect for each other. My only complaint was this was a bit heavy on sex scenes. I don't think the book needed those because the character development and plot were so well done. Probably my favorite book by this author.

**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.**

Back Piece was an enjoyable read from L.A. Witt's Skin Deep, Inc series. I enjoyed this story of Colin and Daniel coming into their own. Two men with lots of issues who find something amazing in each other. My only issue with the story was that it was a bit too wordy at times. All in all for me it was solid and I really liked these two guys.

~3.5 Stars~

This was a hot, emotional story with awesome characters. My biggest peeve was the somewhat slow start before getting to the meat of the story.

I liked that the main characters are far from perfect. And, of course, the fact that Daniel is a virgin made it all that much hotter. I absolutely love virginal characters, especially when they’re done right and factually. Of course, Witt is just the talented author to do it correctly.

The tattoo aspect of the story probably appeals to many readers. It seems to be one of the latest fads. That part of the story didn’t wow me, but it certainly didn’t detract from the plot at all. It worked as a device to bring the guys together and to bond them. If you’re an ink lover, you’ll like it, but if you’re thinking about getting a tattoo, you might want to think twice about reading it. It doesn’t shy away from the…painful aspects of getting inked.

The ending is a bit abrupt, but I’m sure that’s because it’s part of a series.

Recommended for fans and new readers of Witt.

The description of the main protagonist just makes me love this writers work. You can visual see them she is that good you picture yourself in these stories and get lost with there feelings emotion and everything else in that world. That it the writing that I enjoy

Classic, sexy Witt. A tattoo parlour and a navy brat - very very hot, and what a beautiful cover,

This book checked a few boxes for me…military, ‘broken’ characters, super sweet love, tattooed guy with a questionable past and a closeted, repressed virgin.

I really liked that even though the experienced guy with a virgin is a bit overdone in books, this felt fresh. Daniel was raised by homophobic, gay-bashing ‘Christians’ and went straight into the military. Not only did he not have many opportunities to lose his virginity, he was brainwashed into thinking it was evil to be gay. Their sexual encounters are really hot and filled with emotion.

Daniel is a really sweet guy that just doesn’t know what he’s doing when it comes to relationships. He goes through quite a bit of self-discovery. He’s perfect for Colin and his reactions to everything he learns about Colin are just what Colin needs. Colin is kind of a mess but he’s surrounded himself with the people he needs to make it through his life. Although I usually like the healing process in stories, I appreciated what he’s been through and what he’s done to get to a good enough place to function in a relationship. He too is perfect for Daniel. He is patient and understanding with just about everything they do together. They truly complement each other and should last a long time.

This book was a bit long and I skimmed some. I typically don’t want to read a story with a closeted guy because the out and proud guy usually gets hurt badly and there is a lot of angst. This book is no exception and is pretty predictable in how Daniel coming out is handled.

We don’t learn really anything about the side characters so I’m guessing the subsequent books will have a lot of content also as we get to know them. I’m interested to see if a couple of these characters will get future stories or if they are just quick mentions we won’t hear from again.

Overall, a good read with a sweet romance.

Back Piece by L.A. Witt
Book #1: Skin Deep Inc. Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 2½/5 stars
My Review:

Colin Spencer has fought tooth and nail to get his life back on track and though some days are far harder than others, he’s mostly on the right path these days. Routine helps and hitches in the routine are likely to cause waves of the devastating variety. The hot new guy to show up at the gym could very likely be a hitch . . . . .

Daniel Moore left home as soon as he was legally old enough to do so. He’s spent his entire life in the closet out of fear his ultra-religious and completely homophobic family will not just reject him, but abandon him completely. Ironically, Daniel has found the greatest acceptance in the Navy where his shipmates couldn’t care less about his sexual orientation and genuinely like him for himself and his abilities. Oh, and they love to embarrass Daniel by pointing out eligible men during outings which is exactly how Daniel came to notice Colin Spencer at the gym. Colin is the hottest man Daniel has ever seen and if had more experience, Daniel would know exactly how to approach him.

The opportunity to approach Colin presents itself when Daniel sees his tattoos. Wanting one (or more!) of his own, Daniel broaches the subject of custom work and thus, the relationship begins. It’s clear from the beginning both Colin and Daniel are attracted to one another, but Colin has a past that is both deliciously scandalous and dangerous to his ongoing mental and physical well-being. Being in a relationship is tricky and requires a great deal of disclosure on Colin’s part which is why he has avoided such entanglements for some time. Daniel is altogether different and though Colin initially rejects the idea of being more than friends with benefits, it doesn’t take long to see the folly in that plan.

Daniel is as besotted with Colin as Colin is with Daniel and the early days of their relationship is all about discovery. With each new revelation from Colin, Daniel falls deeper in love and Colin understands that his past and his secrets, however scandalous and awful, are accepted by Daniel. In fact, Daniel is likely the most accepting person Colin has ever met and that makes him love Daniel all the more. Just as each begins to feel there is nothing they can’t overcome, Daniel’s family comes to town and everything they have built is blown apart!

The Bottom Line: I really, really wanted to like this book far more than I did. There are some significant issues with this read that are reflected in my overall star rating. First and foremost, among the problems is the development of the characters. Colin is significantly more developed than Daniel which makes him far more interesting. Daniel is a sweet kid, but all we really get out of him is his lack of experience and the fact he’s from an extremely homophobic family. Next up, the repetition. Nearly every conversation between Daniel and Colin are basically the same and generally all include some version of the phrase “my incredibly/extremely homophobic family.” I’m a smart girl and the book isn’t that long, I can remember Daniel’s background. Finally, there is the sex. I rarely ever complain about sex in a book, because, quite frankly, I enjoy the naughty bits, but this book has a metric ton of sex and that’s far too much. While the sex is good and varied, it does occur a lot and takes away from other elements of the story, such as character development. With all that being said, I did like Colin and his story and the description of the tattoos. Unfortunately, Colin and his tattoos alone just can’t carry the read and pull it above a two and a half star rating.

To say that Colin Spencer—gorgeous, fit, and with a body full of tats—has lived an interesting life so far is an understatement. Most would never guess the truths that exist behind the sturdy exterior he presents to the rest of the world. Colin has demons he can’t escape, and enough heartbreak to cure him of ever wanting to lose his heart to someone again. But, everyone has secrets beneath their skin, and the young sailor who’s given Colin a glimpse of his own fears and dreams might be more temptation than he can resist.

Daniel Moore is twenty-six years old, semi-closeted, and really wants a tattoo. Good thing he’s just met the perfect guy for the job: the striking civilian tattoo artist who left him tongue-tied and wanting after their first chance meeting. Soon, he can’t think of anything else. But, Daniel is terrified of his own truths, and hiding from the very people who should know him best. What would a man like Colin possibly see in someone like him?

Although there is plenty to think about in Back Piece, I believe some of its strongest moments are when Colin and Daniel’s beliefs and opinions—both about themselves and others—are challenged. The author makes quite a few significant points, not the least of which is that very little is as easy or as clear cut as it seems. Colin has a wonderfully supportive, accepting family, but still has serious issues that he’ll have to work through for the rest of his life. Daniel’s, on the other hand, is the exact opposite, yet Colin recognizes that, in some ways, they’re good as a unit. This is just one example, but I appreciated that there was so much to consider here.

Another plus is the honesty that exists between Colin and Daniel almost from the beginning. There are a couple of wobbles early on in their relationship, but neither is willing to let the secrets that might be exposed in a given situation linger long enough to become huge problems. This sense of integrity opens the way to mutual acceptance that felt as right as it was sweet, and saved the entire story from the often-overused burden of lies.

As much as I liked the attention the author gave to the rest of the narrative, I couldn’t help but be somewhat conflicted in one particular area at the same time. While there are certainly plenty of steamy interactions between Daniel and Colin, I think parts of the story could have benefitted from a little less sex. Though a fair number of the most intimate scenes in Back Piece were crucial to Daniel’s sexual awakening, a few appeared to be unnecessary, and I felt that the emotional connection that was growing between them might have felt richer through the lens of their newly shared memories instead.

In the end, I liked Daniel and Colin quite a lot, though both had their rough edges, as well. Likewise, while there were one or two moments that pulled me out of the narrative a little bit, there were plenty of good things to say about the story as a whole. The abrupt ending kept Back Piece from feeling finished, but that likely works to its advantage as a HFN. I definitely want to find out more about the world of the Skin Deep characters, regardless. Ultimately, I think this series has a great deal of potential, and I’d love to see what happens with Colin and Daniel farther down the line.

Great book! Can't wait to read more by this author!

Post goes live 14 JUNE

This book was one of the most emotional and heart wrenching books that I've read this year. It deals with so many different issues that you don't really read about ... ever. And it was done in a way that made the story all that better.

Colin and Daniel were both great characters, together and separately. Colin was one that you could tell that he had a past, but he was so quiet about it that it was more annoying than anything for me. Once he came clean about his past you could really tell how much he changed. After he wasn't having to keep the secret from Daniel anymore, it was almost as though a weight was lifted off of him and he could be himself again.

Daniel was a sweet character. Completely young and naive about anything having to do with sex. To be honest, it was kinda nice to read a book with a character like Daniel. He was so innocent, yet he knew what he wanted at the same time. Especially as the book progressed and you could see as he grew into his own.

There were plenty of things happening in the book, dealing with their pasts and their families, that kept the book going. But at times it seemed like there was too much going on.

Overall though - I did enjoy this story and I will be sure to read more into the series in the future.