I’m an ink junkie. Anyone that knows me will tell you that. From the time I was old enough to appreciate tattoos as art, I’d wanted one of my own. I wasn’t able to get my first until around the time I’d turned forty, and now I have…a lot. ☺ They tell a story of who I have been, who I am, and who I will be.

So, when I had the opportunity to read the first title of the Blank Canvas series by Adriana Anders—Under Her Skin—I jumped at the chance. I wasn’t disappointed. I was eager to read the next installment in the series…and O…M…G. I don’t think I’ve ever read a tortured hero like Clay.

While George was a wonderfully rounded-out character and I was able to connect with her, have my heart break for her and her losses—her situation. The road she’d traveled to get to this moment in time that brought Clay into her life hadn’t been all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows. She’d known pain. But, when we look at George as a reflection of ourselves, she had been merely a husk of a person. Seeing her character grow gave me that warm, fuzzy feeling.

So. Clay. When I read a book about a guy that was trying to do the right thing and basically got screwed over, I always get a little indignant on his behalf. Why can’t the good guy ever have an easy time of it?!? Hahah. That’d be too easy. Without pain, the pleasure isn’t quite so sweet. And Clay had had plenty of pain. Emotional pain, physical pain—you name it, he’d had it. One of my thoughts was, “How can a man that’s gone through so much in his life be ready for a truly committed relationship?” Truth is, it’s hard to tell. Oftentimes in a situation like that, one can’t even recognize themselves. It’s like digging out of a pit—having to gently slope the sides to climb out and have a chance to be whole. Doing all the hard work—the digging and climbing—is part of the process, so even when someone tosses down a rope ladder, it really isn’t helping matters, much.

What really drew me to Clay, though, was the fact that he carried the story of his past, present, and future. Whether he realized it or not, he bore the marks that would define who he was as a person. They don’t have to be pretty, and they don’t have to remain, but what they DO do is remind us of who we are, and where we came from. They remind us of places we never want to go again. And, in a twisted way, they show us what we want for our future. That message is what drew me to Clay.

By Her Touch was an expertly crafted tale of two lost souls who found one another at the perfect time in their lives. I was immediately drawn in by the two fractured main characters and the growth in their characters that allowed them to become whole—and to be ready for a happily ever after.

By Her Touch by Adriana Anders is book two in her Blank Canvas series and in my opinion better written than book one. Just as emotionally erotic, I really felt Anders goes above and beyond with her in-depth characterization of both hero and heroine, the joint background reveals, and the verbalization of their pain, and their individual issues with intimacy. The hint of mystery and suspense only adds to the appeal. A sure fire winner.

There are stories where the pain in the lives of the characters affect me so much that I struggle with the words to convey to you why I feel as I do about By Her Touch. In the end I simply have to accept that every reader reacts in their own fashion to an intense story, and encourage you to take the journey that the Blank Canvas series presents.

Clay has been undercover for…. too long, deep within the MC who murdered a loved one. He’s been outed and bears the scars and markings branding him a traitor to the MC. Now he’s in hiding, awaiting the trial to put the scum behind bars where they belong. In the meantime, he’s looking to remove some of the tattoos that mark him. He turns to one doctor, never realizing the role she would play in his life and the danger just knowing about him will place her in.

Georgette has pain of her own, and she recognizes the pain her newest client is holding beneath the ink on his body. The cruelty of the forced tattoos as well as the intent behind them is soon obvious as George and Clay become so much more than client and patient. While the attraction between them is slowly burning, the MC makes a move that will place them both in extreme danger. Now Clay not only has to protect this amazing woman, but come to terms with just how important she’s become to him.

By Her Touch is intense. It’s also a beautiful journey for two broken people to heal, to love, to finally live free once again. There are situations in this story that could be triggers – abuse, violence are part of this couple’s journey. While I’d love for you to enjoy this story, protect yourself first of all.

This story is one that I can only strongly encourage you to experience for yourself. There is beauty to be found within the pain and chaos involved, the characters both main and secondary are believable and the emotions strong.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Adriana Anders did it again! She grabbed me with her characters and their stories making me part of their lives. By Her Touch is the second book the in the Blank Canvas series, a series that I've highly enjoyed. You can easily read By Her Touch without having read, Under Her Skin. Couple characters make cameos but you won't be lost. Although I recommend you start with Under Her Skin because it's a great read as well and helps sets the tone for the town and people living in it.

Anders writes emotional stories with fantastic characters. By Her Touch is another romance wrapped around a dark story where the hero is on the run for his life. He's an undercover agent who's trying to stay alive in order to testify in court against the MC club he joined in order to get revenge for his younger sister's death. He's dealing will all kinds of nasty stuff from his past. His not so long away past has left physical marks on him alone with the emotional ones he's dealing with. That's where Doc George comes in. She's a dermatologist living in the small town of Blackwood and she helps people in need. She does pro-bono work with victims with tattoo removal. In fact, that's how she is connected with the heroine from Under Her Skin. She helped Uma out and now she has a new patient, Special Agent Clay Navarro.

Doctors shouldn't have sexual feelings towards their patients but the chemistry between George and Clay come to a fever pitch one night after clinic hours while she is giving him laser treatment. They both try to fight it, her because he's her patient and him because he doesn't think he is worthy and he doesn't want to bring his dangerous past into her life.

By Her Touch is an emotional and suspenseful ride from beginning to end and it has firmly put Adriana Anders on my auto-read list. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, In His Hands (August 1, 2017).

By Her Touch is the second book in the series, however, it can be read as a standalone. I have read book 1 and since it's based on a small town, you do see the characters from that book into this one but you will not be confused if you skip it. 

However, I would recommend reading both books, just because I really like this authors style and enjoyed both stories. They may have some triggers for readers. Main characters, as well as some of the side characters, have lived through abuse and real life tragedies.

Our main characters in By Her Touch have both seen their own heartbreak and violence. Dr. Georgette Hadley is a dermatologist but also specializes in removing tattoo's. We got to see a glimpse of her in the first book when Uma sought her out to remove tattoos that were forced on her by her abusive ex. 

George has known tragedy in her life as well. Her husband died of cancer 10 years prior and she has lived a pretty solitaire existence since. She meets our hero, special agent Clay Navarro when he seeks her out to remove tattoos forced on him while he was undercover.

Clay went undercover to become a Sultan MC in hopes to take down the men who killed his little sister. When the club finds out Clay is a cop, they tattoo his eye lids and knuckles branding him as a cop and a dead man. He barely makes it out alive and now he is in hiding until he can testify. Clay seeks George out to get the tattoos removed. Like a lot of cops coming out of undercover work, he's struggling with the things he did while undercover and becoming the cop he once was. 

This is a beautiful series by Adriana Anders. I always want to see people overcome tragedy in their lives and have that happy ever after they so deserve. It's one of the things I'm enjoying about this series. She's providing real life characters and situations in these books and I love how the author is taking us step by step in these peoples lives, from hopelessness to awareness to happiness.

This book surpassed my expectations! The author has a unique writing style in which she turns ugly into beauty.  This story is moving and so gripping. As with the first book I had tears in my eyes while reading Clay and Georgette’s story but the tears weren’t always bad.

 

The prologue to this book was heart pounding. I knew as soon as I read the first paragraph that I would not be able to walk away.  Clay and Georgette are two different people and yet so much alike.  They both are dealing with pasts that left them with deep and painful scars.  The thing about scars are that not all are visible and that’s what the author shows in this story.  

It was a painful yet beautiful journey. It was a slow and methodical build that lead up to a promising love.   I thought that the sweet and gentle Georgette was the perfect fit to a hardened and suffering Clay.  The title was perfect for this story because with just not only her physical touch but her welcoming touch Clay started to heal.   Here’s the thing it wasn’t only Clay that needed healing as well.  

I think this is why  I loved this story so much not only was Clay suffering from a past but also Georgette.  We see how both of these characters effect one another and give both reasons to ponder and change how their pasts will define them.  Together the discover something so strong and deep.  When Clays past brings danger, they both will have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice.

This was not an easy story to read. The author touches on PTSD and the lasting and often dangerous effects it leaves behind.  I really enjoyed this story and how openly honest the author was when dealing with this topic.  I didn’t want this story to end but I’m so grateful to see how it all played out.  What fabulous follow up and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Clay Navarro is waiting for the trial to begin he is the star witness after being undercover with the* Sultan MC as an agent for the ATF it is touch and go. He is now a wanted man, scarred with tats that are another death sentence. He falls off the grid completely. Picks Blackwood Virginia to get rid of his tats and bumps into one Dr. Georgette Hadley.  George Hadley has been widowed for ten years. Time is running out for her to use the sperm of her deceased husband to get pregnant.  She still has strong ties with her in-laws so she's torn on that one. 

There were also times where the time frame just seemed skewered. Our heroine states that she has none the Hero for a week. But by my calculation it was much, much longer. Then there was an appointment which was taking place on the Wednesday no date mentioned so technically it would imply the coming week but it was mentioned that it is weeks later. I like the MC in the book they have everything good strong characters need but the lack of interaction ruined it for me.

Her libido was in hibernation until Clay Navarro came in to town to get his tattoos removed. They have mutual attraction but it takes them ages to act on it. And of course George gets Jessie to stick her nose into things that shouldn't.

This like the other is a slow cooker romance but here I liked the characters more than in the first book but still there was a lot of repetitiveness and slightly predictable in places. Now I don't necessarily need sex to make a book stand out but I was literally begging for it to happen here. When they finally did get to doing the nasty I skimmed for whatever reason my limit was hit.

Ms. Anders and I are not a match made in heaven. It is no fault but my own.  This book heck this series has received a ton of positive reviews so in the grand scheme of well everything take mine with a pinch of salt. For those of you who follow my reviews you know I try to finish a book but lately?  Well it's been hard to scrape the energy together to finish a book and to be honest I am quite embarrassed by it. I do not want to be one of those reviewers you know?

By Her Touch is the second book in the Blank Canvas series, and it just keeps getting better! This emotional roller-coaster of a story is filled with unexpected romance, secrets, angst, betrayal, danger, and intriguing twists. It will pull you in right from the start, and you won't be able to put it down till the very end. A fantastic story, and a great addition to this outstanding series. 

Clay, aka Andrew, has recently completed an undercover assignment where he infiltrated the MC that was responsible for his sister's death, among other things. Unfortunately, several of the members got away, thanks to an unknown leak in the department, and now they're hunting him and the other agent who was undercover with him. 

George Hadley knows all about wanting to erase past mistakes, especially tattoos, which she specializes in. When the horribly tattooed stranger walks in to her clinic begging for her help, she doesn't understand why, but she can't turn him away, even when he does frighten her. When he asks to keep the visits off the books, she knows that there's a lot more to him and his story, but also wants to keep him to herself. The attraction and chemistry between them is impossible to ignore. They have both been through traumatic experiences, neither looking for any type of romance, but they can't seem to stay away from each other. 

When George is trying to learn more about her tattooed stranger, she has a friend contact law enforcement to get more information, but doesn't realize the hell she's just unleashed on herself and Clay. Will he be able to keep her safe from the MC that wants him dead? Will they be able to get over their pasts, and help heal one another? Will either get the HEA that they truly deserve? You'll have to read this to find out! 

Although each book in this series can be read as a stand alone, I would suggest that you start from the beginning. You won't be disappointed! 
I strongly recommend this book, series, and exceptional author! 

I have voluntarily reviewed this arc I received from the publisher via NetGalley.

Some wear large and often ugly scars on the outside, others hide the ugliness that they feel on the inside with complex artwork on their bodies, visible reminders of moments they will never forget. Oh sure, a tattoo can celebrate something good and wonderful, a cherished memory, or even a ‘what the heck’ moment, but for Clay, these tattoos mark every bad and evil moment in his life. Evil that he sees every day, reliving it, feelings of guilt that override the pride he should feel in being a key element to removing several evildoers from the streets. But his time as an undercover operative in the Sultan’s MC have taught him to eschew softness and gentleness – how could he not destroy that with all that he is, was and did? 

Dr. Georgette Hadley specializes in tattoo removal, and is quite good at her job. When Clay appears for a consult, looking to remove much of the visible reminders (and marks) ‘earned’ in his time with the Sultans. Arriving and presenting a solid face of intimidation, George is intrigued, for deep within she sees something of the man deep within…. Whether it’s his eyes that don’t quite hide the hurt, or his proper manners and the way something deep within him cries out to her. 

Poor Clay has really had a hard time of it – he wasn’t entirely ‘together’ before going deep under in the Sultans, and as often happens, there are a few who escaped capture still out there, vowing to hunt him down. And, in some ways, Clay actually believes that he deserves it – discounting the fact that as part of his job, the tasks he did ALLOWED him to stay and achieve success.  And then there’s Georgette. Talented, funny, sweet Georgette with an aura he wants to absorb, but is afraid he too, will hurt her. Widowed very young, she’s not taken another chance with her heart, and the attraction to Clay has her willing to risk it again. But, there are dangers and threats, and some Sultans still out there…..

Anders drags the reader in, and you can feel the character’s pain with the honest and raw way they bare their souls.  No one is all good or bad, and we can often find those nuggets of qualities unexplored, and grab to those, hoping that the character will grow and heal enough to find their own worth. Like the first in this series, both characters have issues, but Clay is far more broken and in need of kindness and gentleness, while Georgette’s concerns, until the threats from the gang appear, are far more common to us all and are based in the fear of being hurt.  A deft ability to see her characters and make them speak and be vulnerable when it is most important characterizes Anders’ writing in this series, certain to make her a favorite to watch for many. 

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility. 

Review first appeared at <a href=”http://wp.me/p3OmRo-8RJ”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

4.5 Stars
'By Her Touch' by Adriana Anders is book Two in the "Blank Canvas" series.  This is the story of Clay Navarro and Dr. Georgette Hadley 'George'.  Clay barley made it out of the Sultans biker gang when he was an undercover cop.  Part of being in that gang and also being tortured was to be forced to take a tattoo.  Clay had come to George to get the really bad ones taken off.  Clay finds George very attractive, sweet and total different than what he has been used to.  George knows to that Clay is different and can't help but be attracted to him.  But his body tells of allot of hard times in his life.  George just wants to help heal him but will Clay let her.  Clay has more scars on the inside but can George heal those too?  Will Clay even let her?
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"Give me a kiss," he demanded, and as she watched, he softened, his gaze running a tender path from her lips to her eyes and back again. "Please kiss me."  

Clay Navarro, rough and sweet, and very damaged.  Working deep undercover has scarred him inside and out.  When he seeks out Dr. George Hadley for tattoo removal, he has no idea the connection he will have with her.

George has her own heartbreak that she has lived with.  Her life may not be where she thought it would be, but she has convinced herself she is content.  Until she meets Clay.  She doesn't understand why someone would mark themselves the way she thinks Clay has.  She wants to help him, but didn't expect she would be so drawn to him.  She tries to resist crossing the Dr/patient line, and she is only holding on by a thread.

Just as George & Clay start to explore what their feelings are for each other, Clay's past comes back to haunt them.  And his past could be deadly.

This is a great second book in this series.  I enjoyed the first, but Clay and George's is my favorite!  I am so looking forward to the next installment!

This is the first book I read by Ms Anders. I liked the plot , but have mixed feelings about the writing style. At times I found it a little choppy. 
That said, the stories about the lives of Clay, the undercover ATF agent, and Dr Georgette Hadley, are heartfelt and complex. Ethics are questioned, the effects of undercover work is eye opening, and in the end, if one overcomes the past and the bad in our lives, their is redemption , hope and love in our future.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

DNF so will not be rating or reviewing. Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

I'm not even sure how to begin this review. I guess I'll start by mentioning that, although it's not a major theme in this story, there are some flashbacks that are dark. Not in a disturbing way to warrant a disclaimer, just...emotionally hard to take some times. Especially once you start to really like the character.

Much like the first book in this series, the story revolves around unwanted tattoos. Ink that was forced or manipulated on to the persons skin. Clay is an undercover cop who had to go in deep with the Sultans MC. So deep that he pretty much lost himself. Who is was as a man no longer made sense to him. And the ink on his body proved it. He'd truly become one of them. But now that his cover has been blown and the leader of the club behind bars, he's on the run until the court date where he needs to testify. While "hiding out", he needs to remove his tattoos. And where do you think he ends up? That's right. Right in to hands of Georgette Hadley.

I think we all knew from the first book that there was a past that George was dealing with. I mean, she DID know first hand how the removal of tattoos felt. In this book, we learn why. We also get to see just how perfect and nice she really is. Ok, ok. Yes, she had a little bit of a bad side at one time, but that's all changed now. And it takes her loving touch to bring out the best in Clay.

There were times in this book that I lost interest. Not to the point that would have stopped reading it, just to the point where I was getting a little restless with what was to come. But once I got to "the good stuff", I was all in again. The anticipation between Clay and George is so sweet that my heart literally ached for them. His hard exterior in contrast to her soft and loving self made for a perfect couple. He truly is a hero. Can't wait to see who's next...

reviewed by Chris

This was one of the hottest novels I have ever read! I absolutely loved the hero and the heroine and will read more from this author in the future.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel!

Clay Navarro is an undercover ATF agent who managed to infiltrate a notorious biker gang before being caught-out. Needing to stay alive long enough to testify against the Sultans, he makes his way to the small town of Blackwood, Virginia in search of Dr. Georgette Hadley, a dermatologist, who can help remove his many tattoos.

Clay is clearly a scarred man, both physically and emotionally and the author does a great job of showing us just how broken he is. Similarly, George has been through a rough couple of years after the death of her husband. These two people seem to recognise something in each other and it draws them together in a way that's rather explosive. Clay and George have this amazing chemistry that's present from the moment they meet. For George, this raises all kinds of ethical questions because she cannot get involved with a patient and Clay tries to resist George because he doesn't believe he's worthy of her.

I really enjoyed how George wasn't freaked out by Clay's appearance (yes, she had the sense to be weary of him, but not because of his tattoos) - it was a refreshing change from the norm. I also liked the depiction of small town life and how uncomfortable this made Clay, who didn't quite know how to handle people being genuinely nice to him.

My major gripe was that the book was so repetitive. There were many instances when we covered the same ground multiple times. It really made a book, that reads pretty quickly, feel much longer at times. Also, I don't like to read about someone comparing their past and present sexual partners <i>in the moment.</i> I get that it's normal to make some comparisons, but I seriously doubt that if the sex was as good as the author's claiming, that George would have the ability to think about her dead husband while Clay's going down on her. Note these comparisons happened multiple times.

For someone actively involved in the process of taking hormones in preparation for being inseminated by her deceased husband's frozen sperm, George is pretty quick to jump into a sexual relationship with someone else without considering the possible repercussions. She's an egg factory at the moment. She's got a date to be inseminated. It doesn't occur to her that if something goes wrong she could find herself impregnated by the "wrong" man? That just seemed a little off to me. It's never even a consideration until the condom broke.

Which leads me to the final question - was George pregnant in the end or not? I admit to expecting a small epilogue. Perhaps we'll get the answer in the next book.

Also, the overuse of the words, "titillation"/"titillated". Synonyms are a writer's friend. Am I the only one that found it weird that the couple started calling one another "baby" randomly towards the last third of the book?

Overall I really liked this book. Certainly enough to read the next one in the series.

Much of Clay Navarro’s story is written on his tattooed and scarred body. As undercover ATF agent in a violent criminal biker gang, he has seen and done things that haunt his waking and sleeping memory. Hiding out in a small, rural town while waiting to testify against the gang and recovering from wounds sustained during their take-down, Clay meets Dr. Georgette Hadley, a dermatologist who removes tattoos. Forced on him by a brutally evil Sultans’ member, Clay has some tattoos he is desperate to be rid of as they identify his undercover status as well as the gang badges. In a way, the removal of these inked emblems is a metaphor for getting his life back. As he endures the pain under Georgette’s skilled and compassionate hands, they both are intensely drawn to one another when they are seemingly opposites. Clay’s undercover life became a part of his psyche almost as indelibly as the ink on his skin. His reason for going in with this particular gang was personal as well as professional which adds an even darker dimension.

Georgette has been a widow for ten years having lost her husband to cancer while still quite young. Her own emotional scars from that trauma, and bad decisions in her teen years, have led Georgette to savor the quiet, safe life of her rural home; but is she it really living or just surviving? Clay’s obviously violent past written on his body should scare her, but their souls seem to recognize each other, so she takes a risk to be with a man who may be too damaged to have a normal life. Not all of the biker gang members were caught; some of the ones left are out for revenge on Clay as someone blew his cover.

This story is very intense in all aspects including the romance, violence, and emotional baggage of both Clay and Georgette. I was very drawn into each of their stories and hard fought for lives. It’s much more than just a good girl falls for an undercover bad boy, tattooed alpha male trope. While ostensibly a romance, this tale is a reminder that people from all levels of social strata make bad and good choices, but ultimately what defines and sometimes saves them is how they overcome tough odds to be better than their circumstances. Love gives this couple a second chance at living instead of just existing; they have to ability heal one another in a profound way despite their individual losses and the darkness in the world. Adriana Anders has a fine hand at drawing out a reader’s emotions both the sensual and deeply moved kind. This story is one of those fasten your seat belts kind of ride, but it’s a journey well worth undertaking.

By Her Touch was an okay read. The character was well developed to put that you could see what drove them. However, the chemistry between Clay and Georgette was non-existing. The story dragged on way too long. I figured out who betrayed Clay to the Sultans at the beginning. So, when the big reveal happened it was meh.
This would be the first title I ever read by this author and so I can’t rightfully say if this was one of her best or not. I can say that this story could be read as a stand along and that this book would be suited towards readers who likes mystery along with light-hearted romance.

What an addictive read. Right out of the gate the book starts out with an intense battle of wills, pain, and betrayal. The first page pulls you in and this book never releases you. I started it before bed which is a mistake you will not want to make unless you don't have plans in the morning. 

Indian AKA Andrew Blane AKA Clay Navarro is a undercover agent who has started to lose sight on the mission. His biker's are like family, and although they have done some terrible stuff he still loves them. Of course a lot of that changes when they end up torturing him and a lot of the crew get arrested. Now he needs to disappear and await trial so that he can put the lot of them away. But first things first get rid of the reminders of them that was permanently inked onto his skin. And don't tell anyone from his work where he has gone..... because one of them is a traitor.

George Hadley is a dermatologist who does a heck of a lot pro-bono. She is trying to finally move on with the life she thought she always wanted. Starting with having the baby of her late husband. But when Andrew Blane comes into her life she is paralyzed by the explosion of sensations that he evokes in her. He makes her feel alive again for the first time since her husband died 10 years ago. He makes her want to take risks and get out of her perfectly made "granny" house. 
This was a great suspenseful romance with a heck of a lot of action. A lot of a great characters and twists. There is some great sensual scenes, and a great fight scene. Overall this was a beyond fantastic read.
I would highly recommend this read. 
~A Book Obsessed Chicks Review Team Selection.

This was a touching book about second chances.  Clay had been through so much, pain and suffering, and he had no hope for a good life.  He suffered thru self incrimination and just went thru the motions.  He meets Dr. Hadley (George) to remove his tattoo's, but does this for a court case, and they are all over.  George is heartbroken when she sees his body covered, but she is also seriously attracted to him, and it is unethical for her to have a relationship with him.  Clay fires her, and tries a couple of times to take it further, but tends to run out on her because he feels he does not deserve someone so good in his life.  George makes him see that she needs him too. They end up having some difficulty with a biker group after Clay, but they get thru it, stay together.  I am waiting for Jessi's story.  The only thing that I was hoping for was more of Uma and Ive.