Back Piece is the first book in L.A. Witt’s latest series Skin Deep Inc. This is the story of two men damaged and hiding from the world. Colin is a tattoo artist and the owner of Skin Deep Inc

This story gives a lot of details on the tattoo procedure and reading about Daniel, six foot something, military hunk basically gritting his teeth and nearly tap out is making me reconsider.

At times the pace of this book feels very slow as there are many long tattoo sessions (and lots of detail about tattooing and aftercare) followed by amazing hot steamy sex, more tattooing, more internal dialogues, more tats, more sex, each man rehashes their struggles and insecurities perhaps a time or two too many without any meaningful resolution, etc. At over 300 pages, the book felt somewhat bloated IMHO. There isn't a lot of plot other than the talk, the tats and sex and while Daniel and Colin get their HFN ending, it seems abrupt and leaves them still working on many of the same issues. 3.5 stars.

This was a well written, emotional (but not over the top) story.

Colin and Daniel were great lead characters, each with their own problems, but better together than apart. The ups and downs in the tale are believable, and add to the narrative. I really enjoyed this read.

A sweet and touching romance that addresses secrets, family, and acceptance.

Grade: C

Colin is a tattoo artist who is battling issues with binging food and then working out way, way too much. He meets shy and quiet Daniel, who is in the Navy and is interested in getting a tattoo. Daniel grew up in a very conservative household and could never come out to his parents. They both like each other and a very sweet romance develops. It was a little too sweet for me – or maybe I just needed more to happen in the story. We get a lot of details regarding the tattoo process, which is fun to a point and then I got a little bored. Like I said, sweet but slow.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/M Romance
Triggers: Eating disorders

Colin is a tattoo artist who loves what he does. He loves giving people art – and when he sees Daniel across the way at the gym, he has an instant attraction. Colin tried hard to keep to his workout – kicked in the rear by his trainer, whom I loved. Colin has a secret – he suffers from an eating disorder and it's a constant struggle.

I like that this story takes the subject of eating disorders and gives a fairly realistic viewpoint. We have a lot of internal monologues from Colin about what he's eating, how much he works out and why. It helps to give more credence to the situation – the taboo subject of eating disorders, especially in men.

Daniel is just figuring out that it's okay to be who he is. Despite his family loving him because they don't know him, he is scared to be cut off from them. However, because he is now his own man, has a job and friends who know and care about him, he can truly believe that being gay, being himself is simply okay. When he finds out that Colin is a tattoo artist, he asks for a few tattoos.

This is a drawn out story – it is sometimes too long in places, but the overall story is one of acceptance, taking control where it's healthy, learning to love yourself, and knowing it's okay to do that.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

Tattoos, military men, and LA Witt? Hell yeah! I didn’t finish reading the blurb before requesting this one. I am a huge fan of this author’s military stories. This isn’t my favourite of LA Witt’s books, but there are some really lovely moments in this story.

I found these characters simpler than most of LA Witt’s men. We learn a great deal about Colin and Daniel, but I felt something was missing – neither man felt as real as the characters I usually fall in love with in this author’s military stories. Both men have very complicated and difficult histories and I kept feeling like I should have cared more for them both.

The sex in this story is hot. After an awkward start, the retired porn star and the virgin sailor fulfil several slightly cliché but immensely enjoyable fantasies. Even though these two are close in age, the difference between their sexual experiences makes Daniel feel younger and Colin quite a bit older. This isn’t a BDSM story, but there is a natural D/s element to Colin and Daniel’s relationship that really works.

I enjoyed the tattooing storyline – both Colin’s craft and the messy, painful reality of tattooing. There were a few very touching moments between Daniel and his family – I love the shades of grey the author paints Daniel’s parents with. Daniel’s choice between coming out and keeping his family isn’t an easy one and the moment Colin realises how much Daniel stands to lose is incredibly moving. I loved the author’s depiction of a modern, inclusive American Navy – Daniel’s shipmates are fantastic.


Shannan – ☆☆☆
Back Piece is about two men with completely different backgrounds. Colin is a tattoo artist with body issues and Daniel is a shy, virgin sailor. The spark is there from the first moment they see each other. Daniel grew up deep in the closet, while Colin was out and proud at fifteen.

I like the premise of this story, the completely different backgrounds, experience levels, secret keeping, commitment-phobe characters. There is a ton of inner dialogue, each character questioning where they stand but not voicing those concerns. Most of the background information learned in the first few chapters repeats throughout. I found myself skimming and that is usually not the case with this author.

Unfortunately, this read was just not for me. The characters are combustible in those intimate moments and it was extremely hot how Daniel would react to each new experience, but it wasn't enough for me.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆☆
This was a great M/M romance that I really enjoyed!

Colin and Daniel first meet while working out at the gym. The attraction is immediate but neither realizes the other is gay. When Daniel finds out that Colin is a tattoo artist, he visits the shop to get his first tattoo and things heat up. It quickly comes out that though Daniel is out to his friends in the military, his family is in the dark because of their strong religious beliefs against gays – and he’s a virgin. Opposite end of the spectrum you have Colin, who is not only openly gay but also used to be a porn star.

I really loved that these two start off as such great friends and their relationship grows into something more. My least favorite part has to have been the ending, it felt rushed and almost abrupt. Other than that, this is a great romance with a strong plotline, great characters and, though the middle was a bit draggy, it has a relatively fast pace.


Angie – ☆☆☆
This book seemed so drawn out to me. I think they could have cut 1/4 of the book out and then given us a better ending. Colin has issues from his past he is still dealing with, while Daniel is still trying to find himself. I love these two characters, I honestly felt a connection with them. I just think the story could have been cut down a little, it seemed to be the same thing over and over again. I would have liked to see more of the after. Maybe there will be a second book and we will see more after? I liked the characters and the story, just wish things would have progressed and ended differently.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
I nearly didn't get past the beginning of this book, as rereading the same scene from both viewpoints didn't work for me on this occasion. However, I am glad I kept going as that device is really only used at that stage – and though we get the story from both sides, there is no more significant repetition. It meant that the pace picked up somewhat.

I liked the romance; the men are both interesting and engaging. They are easy in each other's company and they clearly have a great rapport. This is important given they both have significant issues, about which they are very open. For that reason, I'm not sure why Colin couldn't be more honest about his stress over the family visit.

The detail of the pain suffered by Daniel whilst getting tattooed was very vivid! I loved the detail of the designs. Their exploits on the aircraft carrier were fun, especially in the light of all the hidey holes that Daniel reveals.

A story which deals with a multitude of issues in a sensitive way and gives a satisfying HEA.

This was quite the heartwarming story about two imperfect men falling in love. It's a quieter story, which I wasn't expecting, but really enjoyed. Based on the blurb, I really thought there'd be more angst than there was (which was very little). Some things were hits, while unfortunately others were misses.

Communication – This is at the top of my list of things I loved about this book. I adored how open and honest Daniel and Colin were with each other. They discussed some sensitive topics (religion, mental abuse, and eating disorders) with care and zero judgment. They listened to each other…not just heard the words, but felt the emotion behind the explanations and the reasoning for the decisions they made. They were so supportive of each other too. They connected so easily because it was quickly evident that fear, insecurities and judgment had no place in their relationship.

Daniel’s virginity – It's refreshing that it wasn’t treated like a fetishized trope. It wasn’t all about “Daniel’s a 26 year old virgin, that’s so hot!” It was more about why Daniel ended up being a 26 year old virgin. How he had to hide who he was. How he was trying to understand what he wanted. How things snowballed and he felt embarrassed for not being more experienced, which in turn kept him from getting the experience he so desperately wanted and yearned for. The fumbling and nerves when Colin and Daniel got together was equal parts funny and heartwarming…and I’m not gonna lie….pretty damn hot. Being in Daniel’s head while he was experiencing these new things for the first time was so honest and electric and added this layer of wonder that amped up the emotion to another level.

Colin’s issues – I like that the author flipped the script. Eating disorders don’t only affect women, and listening to Colin talk about his highs and lows, coping mechanisms and thought processes about his disease was eye opening. So many times we think that those men working out for hours on end at the gym are nothing more than gym rats, dudebros working on their gains…but it could easily be an unhealthy obsession with their body, a way of punishing themselves for something else going on in their lives, or a host of other issues. I really liked seeing a different perspective about a disease that primarily has a women’s face as its representative.

But at some point, after you've been building walls around yourself for a while, it stops being protection and becomes a tomb.


Unfortunately, there are some things that didn’t work for me.

This book is way too long – This is my main issue with the book. There are so many extra words here that add absolutely nothing to the story. They don’t add to the character development or move the story forward. First off, while I appreciate the detail given about Colin’s job as a tattoo artist…there was entirely too much here. I am now completely familiar with the tattoo process from start to finish. The aftercare instructions. The healing process. How endorphins help you. Approximately how long tattoos of varying sizes take to complete. Which parts of the body hurt the most and the least. Did I really need all of this? It was interesting to read about….but in my romance…nope, didn’t need this much information.

Second, there’s a LOT of dialogue in this book. While I mentioned that I love open and honest communication in a relationship…I don’t need to be there for every word of it. For the first half of this book, these two talked about sex A LOT. I understand that it stemmed from Daniel’s curiosity and desire to try everything and Colin’s need to reassure Daniel’s insecurities…but wow, there was a lot of chatter. Again, nothing that added character development or moved the story forward. Frankly, it felt like a bunch of filler.

This book definitely could have benefited from a healthy trimming to streamline the storytelling.

Colin's previous profession - I didn't I understand why there needed to be an in-depth explanation and question and answer period regarding it. I'm talking about pages and pages and pages discussing it. Lots of pages. In addition to tattooing, I now have quite a healthy knowledge about another topic.


Overall, this was a book that I really did enjoy. Colin and Daniel melted my heart and how much I adored how supportive they are of each other will eclipse any of my issues regarding the book.

"You do know being with somebody like me is not going to be easy."

"You think it'll be easy being with me? With deployments and duty schedules and all that shit? I'm not here for easy. I'm here for you. And if you can handle all the bullshit that comes with being with me, you better believe I can handle whatever comes with being with you."

"I can't imagine anything that would keep me from wanting to be with you."

"Then you understand how I feel about you."

"I just don't get why. Why me?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

I liked Back Piece, but I can understand why some didn't. I liked that Colin and Daniel were normal, flawed/lightly damaged people and they had a normal relationship with some ups and downs. Yes, they were both pretty buff, but not perfect. I also liked how everything wasn't perfect in the end with Daniel's family. Realistic was the word popping into my mind as I read.

That said, many people don't read romance for realism, I know I usually don't. There was an awful lot of tattoo chat and time spent in the tattoo chair (realistic, yet a bit tedious). That was where Colin and Daniel really got to know each other.

Some reviewers mentioned being unhappy that the back piece wasn't finished at the end of the story. As mentioned, it takes a LONG time (and may never get finished) and that it, like the guys' relationship was a work in progress. An epilogue, as one mentioned, would have been nice though.

I give back piece a thumbs up, it really hit the spot on the day I read it.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t know why but I feel like I keep saying this in my reviews but I really did not expect this story to be so deep. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing but in this case it was a bit overwhelming, in my opinion. As a fan of this author I never know what to expect and usually for the most part I’m pretty happy with her stories. And this one is no exception. I liked this story. It read well, kept me interested and had some great characters but I will admit that I that it was a bit too long. The internal, emotional dialogue was exhausting and I think it could have been at least 100 pages less than what it was.

Colin has had a troubled past. But he’s overcome a lot to get to where he is today. He owns his own business, physically healthy an relatively happy for the most part. When he sees Daniel for the first time at the gym it’s an instant attraction, when they meet later the attraction ignites and it’s hard for either man to ignore.

Daniel is a 26 year old virgin in the Navy. He’s found acceptance in the Navy and he loves finally being able to live his life out and proud away from his family. Colin seems like the perfect person to start playing around with. The attraction is insane and intense and the feelings that follow leave both men with questions. The only thing they know is they want more of it.

Things come to a head when Daniel’s family visits him and he goes right back in the closet expecting Colin to go in there with him. All of Colin’s personal issues that have been simmering at the surface explode and leave both men at odds. Not to mention the dreaded certainty of Daniel’s possible deployment.

Angsty to the max, and incredibly repetitive this books saving grace was the two main characters. Daniel and Colin are solid and so well developed. Their passion, openness and acceptance was so beautiful.

I like the story just some things I could have done without.

Back Piece by author L.A. Witt starts off the Skin Deep Inc Series. I really loved this story. Lots of great chemistry in this book between the characters. I also thought there was a ton of growth in both characters. They have issues but they grow beyond them in this story. I also love hot men in tatts and there are plenty of them in this story.
Colin goes to the Sea Side gym to work out. He is a tattoo artist. He has a stunning back tatt that draws the attention of our second character in this book, Daniel. Colin is very secure in who he is. He has worked hard to be who he is and is proud of that. He is also patient and kind. The type of man who needs his happy ending.
Daniel is cute and shy. He is in the Navy. Openly gay and accepted. I liked that about this story. So many paint military as hating gay people, I loved that this one had accepting characters. Good friends that encourage each other to be better.
Daniel decides he really likes Colin but is too shy to ask him out or anything. Don't worry his buddies help embarrass him enough to get him to at least ask for a tatt from Colin. Trust me I never knew tatts could be this sexy. While Daniel might be shy and in experienced Colin is more than willing to be his teacher in both tattoos and love. This story was hard to put down! I cannot wait for more from this series, the true romantic in me is screaming for more.


Five Shooting Stars

I’ve read other books by Witt in the past, and they are definitely an author I love. Back Piece was just another book full of great characters and if you like men in uniform, Daniel is in the Navy!
In simple terms, this book is about Colin Spencer who is a tattoo artist with a lot of difficulties in his past that will always affect him. As for Daniel, he joined the Navy to get away from his family – who he loves, but they don’t know he’s gay. Because of his upbringing, Colin has never really been with a guy, so when he meets Colin, he’s definitely nervous to know that Colin has a lot more experience than he does.
What I loved about these two guys is that neither of them made each other feel bad about their past or shortcomings. Colin was patient with Daniel when it came to the physical nature of their relationship and he didn’t want Daniel to come out to his parents until he was truly ready. At the same time, Daniel listens to Colin’s confessions and revelations about his past without judging him or making him feel bad. They definitely work together well.
Back Piece is an enjoyable read. I felt like you really got to know Colin and Daniel -and the secondary characters in their lives – and it was a nice balance between the overall story line and the romance between the two.

Hands raised if you stop, stared and drooled over the cover because I know I sure did. However, that is not the reason why I wanted to read Back Piece. Author L.A. Witt has become somewhat of a 1-click addiction for me. While I am not a huge fan of military romances, there is something about her books that draw me in. While this was not one of my favorite books of hers, it certainly was a good read and well worth the time reading.

Daniel comes from a very conservative family, stress on the homophobic side. He joined the Navy to escape their small mindedness without telling them why. Growing up he had to hide that he was gay, but away from his family, he is out of the closet. Unfortunately, he's still a virgin who feels like he can’t share his true self with anyone. That is until he spots Colin at the gym. A tattoo artist with a past, Colin doesn't do commitments. Unlike the tattoos that cover his body, he hides his secrets. When Daniel comes to him wanting a tattoo a friendship begins, that blossoms to something more, but both are harboring secrets that may keep them from true happiness.

It's hard to not like Colin and Daniel. Both are less than perfect and their secrets make them awkward. It's not hard to guess what Daniel's secrets are because they are spelled out right there in the blurb: He's gay and his family doesn't know. When his folks made an appearance in the story I alternated wanting to like them and scream you are not worthy of Daniel. Now Colin's secrets...WHEW! There are quite a few layers to him and of the two, his were my favorite to discover. Not sharing them because they are quite epic so you have to read to find out what they are.

Secrets aside, these two do have chemistry and the heat between them was fairly hot. The pacing of the story was really good although there were few moments where the story did drag a bit. Back Piece wasn't an overly angsty story but there is plenty of drama to keep it emotional. Altogether, I enjoyed it. Can't wait to get my hands on the next in the series.

reviewed by Jac

The MC's were well written, complex, flawed characters who with numerous issues were mature enough to talk things through. In my eyes, very much set up for a great read.

Unfortunately I liked it, rather than loved it. The book was way too long with very little plot in the first two thirds with dialogue that was quite mundane and very repetitive. The conflict came so close to the end that I thought were going to end on a cliffhanger. It didn't but it did result in a very abrupt ending.

The story had great potential and therefore I finished the book somewhat disappointed.

Back piece involves Colin a tattoo artist with a chequered past and some mental health issues ( but a real good guy!) and Daniel a navy serviceman whose navy friends know he is gay. Still a virgin Daniel sees Colin at the gym and immediately is drawn to him as is Colin to Daniel
This relationship develops very quickly becoming very intense and passionate. Unfortunately Daniels parents are very religious and intolerant of gay relationships so Daniel has a great fear of telling them he is gay.
Whilst I have enjoyed L A Witts previous books I felt this story had a lot of unanswered questions, which may be mentioned in subsequent books in this series but would have been better if all tied together in an epilogue.
I did enjoy this story but not quite as much as previous tales
Thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book honestly.

*3.5 stars*

I read a lot of L.A. Witt books (about 25 , if you include all of her pen names), but my average rating for her hovers around 3-stars. I always like her stuff, but rarely do I LOVE her solo works. However, Back Piece ranks up there with my favorite books from her. In fact, if it wasn't so draggy through the middle, I'd be practically ecstatic.

It really helps that Back Piece has a couple of my personal favorite tropes. For one, we get a virgin. Me and virgins... dreamy sigh. I have a virgin kink that doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon, so if you give me an eager virgin, I'll practically melt on the pages. +1 point for that, L.A. Witt.

I also like military men but hate romantic suspense. Now, that is a conundrum. Basically, I like military men in contemporary romances, and this book fit that bill to a T.

I think we get a really nice build-up here to a truly lovely romance. Both men have a lot of baggage, and there is a LOT to angst over, but I liked how the author dealt with their issues. There are a couple of themes that we don't often see with men in romance, but I liked them in the story and thought they brought depth to the characters.

Sure, we get the homophobic parents theme, but although I've read it time and time again, the reality is that it is something that is still all too prevalent in our world. I didn't love the drama at the end and the slowness in the middle, but I was willing to overlook those facts because I found the romance to be really satisfying.

Hot tattooed men + virgin + military = I'm a happy camper. L.A. Witt made me smile with this one.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

First off, I have to say that the cover of Back Piece is smokin' hot! Back porn with ink is just too irresistible to this woman :) Now onto the actual review. I like Back Piece. I don't love it, though. It isn't what I was expecting. I was expecting Mr. tatted up hottie to be a real alpha leading the naive virgin into sexual ecstasy and into coming out. What I actually got was a pretty angsty, but meandering story, about one man with a crap ton of issues and one man who really only has one issue aside from his virginity, that his parents are religious homophobes so he's afraid to come out to them.

Colin is the man with all the issues. He's a tattoo artist who is out, not in your face out, but happily out. Daniel is the 26 year old Navy man virgin with the homophobic parents to whom he's afraid to come out. When he and Colin meet at the gym, it's insta lust and the two eventually end up in a casual, FWB relationship that morphs into an actual relationship. I like both Colin and Daniel, especially Daniel, but I have to say that they didn't really do anything other than have sex (lots of steamy sex!), talk about tattoos while Daniel's getting his done, and talk about their own backgrounds. Not much action going on, aside from all the sex, and the plot just kind of sat there and actually bored me a little in the middle.

If you 1 click thinking you're getting a steamy story about an alpha and his virgin, you might want to rethink your purchase. If you want a coming out story with not much going on other than sex, and a lot of angst, then this is the story for you. I personally wanted more: more depth, more action, a faster pace, a more alpha hero, more intensity. I like the characters, there just wasn't enough going on for my tastes.

I'm sorry; I didn't get a chance to download this book before it archived, so I won't be able to read and review it.

Colin and Daniel catch one another's attention across the gym during a workout. When Daniel asks Colin about his tattoos and where he got them, Colin tells him about the tattoo shop he owns, Skin Deep, just a few doors down from the gym. When Daniel decides to come in for a tattoo, Colin is happy to get to see the sexy sailor again. When the tattoo is completed, things get a bit heated, but after Colin finishes giving Daniel a bj in the parking lot, Daniel, who is a 26-year-old virgin, freaks out about sucking, pun kind of intended ;), at reciprocating, and takes off. Tattoos bring them together, but will Colin's past as a porn star and his battle with an eating disorder, as well as Daniel's homophobic parents who he is still hiding his true self from, drive them apart?

This was a really enjoyable read. The characters were absolutely lovely, and I really applaud Ms. Witt for tackling an eating disorder in a male character. These diseases are considered, and wrongly so I might add, to be an affliction that is just seen in women, but more men suffer from them than you'd think. Though I thought this part of the storyline could have had a bigger presence in the book, what was present in the story was handled realistically and with dignity. Another thing that was handled very realistically was Daniel's first experiences with sex. He was excited, yet also nervous. He fumbled, and not everything was perfect.

The story is well-written, but I thought the book was too long. I think it could have been cut a bit or more action scenes could have been added. The book was mostly sex, talk, tattoo, rinse and repeat. While I absolutely loved the dialogue between Colin and Daniel, like the sex, talk and tattooing, some of it seemed very repetitive.


All in all, this was a sweet and enjoyable read with a little sadness and angst thrown in. It was filled with intriguing dialogue that really helped developed the characters, as well as a ton of smoking hot sex. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series, and hoping to catch glimpses of Colin and Daniel in the future. Very recommendable!

*Copy provided to me via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.*

This book was really good! I don't normally read m/m romance but this one pulled at me. Started reading and couldn't put it down. The characters were great and felt so alive to me. This was a new author to me but now its one I definitely look for from now on. Totally worth reading!

I tried very hard to read this book in its entirety but after 70% of redundant dialogue, a lifeless plot and banal characters I've decided to move on.