Cover Up by L.A. Witt is the third story in the Skin Deep, Inc. series, set with a tattoo shop as the background. It’s the first story of the series that I’ve read but is easily picked up as a standalone, with some previous story characters making significant appearances. It’s also made me move those earlier books up my TBR because if they are anything like this one they promise to be thoroughly entertaining!

Nate Chandler is a Navy pilot going through a painful divorce from his husband of ten years. With thoughts of eradicating their life together, he’s come to Skin Deep, Inc. to get a tattoo covered, a matching part of a pair he and his ex-husband got early in their relationship. At the shop he meets apprentice Lucas Brandt, a younger, vibrant, talented man who pushes all the right buttons for him after he’s been feeling dead inside for far too long. Even though he’s only in his twenties, bisexual Lucas has gone through two divorces himself and is empathetic to Nate’s situation. He’s definitely not in the market for a long term romance, and neither is Nate. On the other hand a feel good fling sounds perfect. But if they start to get serious about each other, will it be because Nate is on the rebound or because they really belong together?

I really enjoyed this story! Though there is a fair amount of emotion to it, especially as Nate comes to grips with his grief over his divorce, I didn’t find it depressing. Rather, it was cathartic to have Nate come full circle and be ready to give his heart again. Lucas is smart enough to realize that Nate is covering up his feelings when they first meet, and is okay with that since he’s not interested in a relationship. But as they become emotionally connected, it’s no longer enough for Lucas to be the mask Nate wears to avoid facing his grief.

Because of their age difference (not huge, but definitely a difference between being in your twenties and in your thirties), part of the plot revolves around where they are in their careers. Lucas is just starting out as a tattoo artist, dealing with family who are not very supportive, and mistakes he’s made that make him question his abilities. Nate on the other hand is fully established and confident in his career as a pilot. But while Nate is older and wiser when it comes to the working world, it’s Lucas who assumes more control in the bedroom. There is no doubt they are hot together, with several steamy scenes that while at first are only about sex, quickly become more emotionally compelling for them too.

There are several great scenes involving other characters from the two previous stories in the series, showing them moving on with their lives. Nate’s copilot is a true friend who isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions. Nate and Lucas go through some ups and downs and have to work to get their happy ending but it is a very satisfying one, complete with a really sweet epilogue. Cover Up is a sexy, emotional, engaging read.

This review has been posted at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews and feedback updated with the link. It has been posted on sale sites Amazon, BN and Kobo.

I really enjoyed the latest installment in this series. Nate and Lucas really stole my heart. I couldn't help rooting for them to get together then fall in love.
This book was everything I have come to expect from LA Witt; hot, steamy, emotional.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley

This is the third book in the Skin Deep Inc series and the one I was most looking forward to. I enjoyed this book but I didn't love it as much as I expected to. I loved Nate from the second book and his marriage crumbling at the end of that book had me so looking forward to his story.

This book resumes right where book two ended with Nate divorcing Caleb whom he caught cheating on him at the end of book two. Nate is having trouble dealing with the loss of his ten year marriage and has found himself with no sexual drive and really just going through the motions in everything. He decides to cover up the tattoo he and his soon to be ex-husband got and that's where he meets Lucas. Nate finds himself extremely attracted to Lucas and for the first time since finding Caleb cheating on him he's feeling something. Lucas and Nate embark on a sexual relationship that moves into a friends with benefits but Nate is hiding and isn't dealing with his divorce or his feelings over the end of his marriage.

I really enjoyed the first 50% of the book but I kept expecting Nate to start to deal with his feelings and for the divorce to play a bigger role in the story. Unfortunately IMO there wasn't much of a story in this book. A whole lot of sex which at first was really hot but actually became a bit repetitive. I loved the soft touches and sweet moments between the two guys but there wasn't much meaningful conversation and very few interactions with anyone but just the two of them alone together having or recovering form sex. There was so much potential for Nate to deal with his divorce and I guess I expected more angst. In fact, when Lucas finally realizes/admits Nate is using him to cover up/hide from his divorce the book is almost over and the resolution happens within pages. It also didn't feel like there was much lead-up to this resolution and I wanted more emotion, more angst and more story for Nate and more angst and emotion from Lucas as he realizes that he has fallen for Nate but Nate isn't dealing with his divorce.

I did enjoy the scenes with Colin and Daniel and the brief scenes with Jon and Matt and overall I liked this book but I wanted to love it. Overall a series, some more than others but I like the characters and find this an enjoyable series so if there is a fourth book I'll be reading it.


A copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion

This is not my normal kind of book. I normally go for M/F but I thought I would give this book ago. It is a really great book and was a enjoy to read something different for a change. The author has done a really good job with this book and should be proud of it. Would recommend

When I got this book I immediately realized I will need to read the first two in the series. I found them good but a bit too repetitive, the plots are very similar in both. So the third book was very interesting to me because it brings the chance to divert from the templet of the first two books (in the sense were one man was inexperienced and in the closet/clueless about being attracted to men). Because Nate just got of a failed marriage and Lucas is out I found it much more to my liking. The other plot line was similar to the first two books: the relationship starts as casual sex, turns into friends with benefits and then evolves when the men are still unwilling to accept or acknowledge that change. I like how the story incorporates the characters fears into their relationship, making it a catalyst in their current life.

The sexual parts of the book are sexy, very emotional and detailed, even in the parts were they are still strangers. This is something I liked about L.A. Witt's writing, she has a way with words that draws you in and it shown in the way she describes their physical attraction and passion towards each other. I also liked that even though they fall into bed very fast they take some time to become more then a mutual booty call, I find that more realistic.

I lived the tattoo shop setting, I liked the way it is described and you can tell there has been research into it. The military theme is fun and works well, even though I feel it is more a prop then a functional part of the story (and that is OK).

All in all I liked this book more than the first two and I just wish the entire series hade a bit more variety between each book.

I really enjoyed this book. Although it is part of a series, I didn't read the first (but I want to now!) and that didn't hinder my reading experience or the story line.

A lot of times books are one main character or the other unwilling to get into a relationship. For a myriad of reasons. This time it was BOTH main characters who weren't looking for anything serious. But it snuck up on them and found them anyway.

Instead of one guy chipping away at the proverbial wall around the other's heart, they are both content to continue as they are. Until they both realize that there is way more to what is happening than a convenient hook up. They enjoy each other, spending time together, hanging out together. Neither was pushing the other away in fear. It was refreshing.

They were romantic without meaning too and sexy as hell. There is a lot of sex in this book. A LOT. But it wasn't repetitive or boring.

Naturally there comes conflict. But the conflict was so....mature. Not a big dramatic fight. No giant misunderstanding. It was really well thought out and well written.

A good read that I would absolutely recommend

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. It is a MM romance with engaging characters and a wonderful storyline. It deals with the art of tattoos, which I knew little about, so it was really fascinating to learn how that business operates. The characters are well developed and having not read any of the previous stories in the series, I was not at a loss at all. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be adding the series to my TBR pile.

3.5 stars - This series is a lot like the Anchor Point series, only the focus is a bit more on the tattoo shop with a side of military, whereas Anchor Point is the military with a side of other. We met Nate in the previous book when he walked in on his husband of ten years having sex with another man. So, he was in need of some positive happenings for sure. Nate is the wingman for pilot Jon, who is now with tattoo artist Matt. Lucas is the apprentice at Skin Deep under Matt (and Colin who we met in book 1).

So, here, Nate is trying to get over his divorce and decides one item on that to do list is to cover up the matching tiger tattoo he and his now ex got together. Lucas is the king of coverup tattoos, and just the man for the job.

Everything else is pretty predictable, but they have great chemistry and decide to just make up their own rules and enjoy each other, which of course, turns to more. They hit a few bumps when Lucas stands up and forces Nate to take a closer look at his life and to actually deal with the emotions of his divorce. But, it doesn’t take too long for them to get back on the same page. They had a very comfortable and easy feel to their relationship – they meshed really well and had quite a few sweet moments when they could find time for them.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t wow me. I think too much time was spent between the sheets and not furthering the story as a whole, until closer to the end when the other players took a more prominent role. It was also great seeing the other guys again. If you are looking for an enjoyable read with lots of hot sex and a sweet happy ending, this story and series totally fits that bill. I’m looking forward to the next one.

This was my first foray into the Skin Deep, Inc. series and it was pretty much what I expected. A fun and sexy read with likeable characters and a decent plot. It didn’t sweep me off my feet but it was a great way to pass the time during a lazy weekend.

First off, the sex was off the charts which is no surprise if you’re familiar with the author’s works. Nate and Lucas had sizzling chemistry and I loved that it was somehow both easygoing and hot as hell. If you’re looking for some serious heat in your next read, this is it. I mean, the book might as well have been titled Sex instead of Cover Up because Nate sure as hell got the ultimate cover up to forget his failed marriage – in the form of a fuckton of mindblowing sex courtesy of Lucas.

I liked the way they both steadily but surely got attached and even though they didn’t give voice to their feelings, they didn’t fight it either. It just felt very realistic and natural for them at that particular point in their lives . However, the fact that Nate flat-out refused to talk or even think about his divorce lent a rebound vibe to their relationship despite the strength of his growing feelings.

I also liked that although there was some age gap, it wasn’t really a huge factor. Lucas’s youthful looks made him appear younger than his 27 years, and even though he was far from settled, I liked how hard he was hustling to get his shit in order. Between the two heroes, I definitely liked Lucas’ character the most – he was comfortable in his own skin and that really showed in his playful nature and confidence in bed. I was hoping that some of his positive attitude about his own failed marriages would help Nate come to terms with his ongoing divorce but alas, that was not the case.

I thought Nate’s avoidance tactics surrounding his divorce got really old, especially when there appeared to be a major breakthrough during a pivotal moment in their relationship… but then he went right back to clamming up. His character voice definitely got a bit repetitive in that regard. In addition, some of his thought bubbles came off as super sappy to the point of cheesiness whenever he was with Lucas. He was a bit all over the place for me which I guess is not surprising considering the circumstances.

Cover Up ended on a solid HFN, which is fair as I think anything more would have seemed unrealistic and unsustainable. As it was, I thought the conflict resolution was really rushed but the epilogue managed to smooth things out somewhat. This book is a standalone but characters from the previous books in the series do feature prominently throughout Nate and Lucas’ story. I just might check them out the next time I’m in the mood for more sexy fluff.

It's al about recovering and not only from a tattoo

Lucas works at the tattoo shop. Just one of his three jobs. He covers up tattoos and he is the best..

Nate being in a divorce for months now wants his tattoo covered by something else.
When they meet sparks are flying.
Lucas and Nate meet outside the shop and the heat is on....

Hookups they are and nothing more... right...! Only they are the best hookups ever!

After Lucas understand his own feelings are more than that he breaks up because cover up a tattoo is fine but being a cover up for someone's feelings is something different.
Nate is hurt and understands he has to do something to convince Lucas about his real feelings.

LA Witt knows how to write stories. She has written some great ones.
Maybe not fair to say but....The Anchor Point series stands far above this Skin Deep Inc series
I can't put my finger on it...it's from the same author...
This one was oke....sweet and hot, but a bit flat...

2 stars = it was ok

I should not request book three in a series when I haven't started the series just because the cover is so pretty.

When I got approved I quickly went and grabbed the first two books to get up to speed.

Ugh. I didn't like the first book at all and the second was only marginally better.

The second book is still the winner out of the three.

I think this book had a strike against it just due to the timing. Nate had only just separated from his husband of ten years, separated without warning and jumping into what he did with Lucas was just too fast. And man, from the start this was no hook up.

Another strike for me is that I’m not a fan of the “I’ve never felt anything like this before” when we are supposed to believe the ten year marriage was perfect or at least worth staying together for ten years and being blindsided when it ends. I dunno, something about that didn’t sit right with me.

The same thing with the other books, he actual conversing just doesn’t work for me. I don’t think people talk this way and it comes across weird. It makes it a real struggle for me while reading.

And lastly, this is probably over analyzing but I’m sure I'm not the only person who has read a book that takes place somewhere you have been and loved and even more so, somewhere you live and had it done wrong. Anyone who has ever been to the Outer Banks, well, I can’t imaging them describing it in the way the author did. I am sure she has been there but man, she described it like it was anywhere USA and looked just like any other beach in the world. It doesn’t. It is beautiful. And Delaware? Well, I live there. I am assuming the first casino they came to was Harrington, before they hit Dover. They would have hit the base before they hit downtown Dover which isn’t really a park your car and walk around kind of place. I guess it isn’t fair to judge about these things but it is hard not to when you know exactly where they are.

So, at the end of the day this series really just wasn’t for me.

It seems most everyone else really enjoys the series so it is probably just me.

4.5 Stars!!!


Cover Up is book 3 in the Skin Deep series and while some of the characters from the first two books are featured in this installment, it can be perfectly read as a standalone, which is what I did. That said, I really liked Matt and Jon and Colin and Daniel, so as soon as I have some free time, I'll definitely be picking their books up.

I loved Lucas, he was so down-to-earth and sweet. I felt so bad that he'd lost his confidence after doing a bad tattoo and I adored seeing him finally get over that. I really liked Nate, but I wanted to shake him a bit when he didn't really give himself the time to heal before he threw himself into a relationship with Lucas. Yes, the attraction between them was undeniable, they had so much chemistry that it sizzled, but they were kind of a trainwreck, albeit a very hot one.

I think L.A. Witt did a great job at giving us a realistic account of how a kind-of-but-not-really rebound relationship could turn into something more. I loved the progression and how despite the various sexy scenes, this was still a slow burn, in the sense that love grew slowly but surely between Nate and Lucas, almost without them realizing it. I can't say I was surprised that the fact that Nate hadn't dealt with his divorce came into play at some point and I was glad it wasn't dragged endlessly, I don't think my heart would've stood it otherwise.

Overall, this was a fantastic read, poignant, sweet, angsty and oh my God, but Ms. Witt writes the yummiest kisses and some of the hottest sex scenes I've read. *fans self* Definitely recommendable!

*** Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

The followup to L.A. Witt's "Pounding Skin" is a disappointment. Occurring on the heels of the previous novel, "Cover Up" focuses on Jon's military buddy Nate, who is in the midst of a bitter divorce with his husband of 10 years. When he goes to get a coverup tattoo of the design he and his ex share, Nate encounters Lucas, a young and talented tattoo apprentice. The two are attracted to each other and, much like the setup between Matt and Jon in the previous book, decide to embark on a physical relationship.

Nate and Lucas both spend a large portion of their time on the page worrying about their relative stations in life. The two begin to develop a genuine fondness for each other, though this is complicated by Nate's refusal to deal with the emotional fallout of his divorce and Lucas' professional, financial, and personal anxieties. Both are using sex as a distraction, and, frankly, the sex in this story distracts from the rest of the narrative. Every time a character has any type of emotional maturity, progress is dashed by a hookup.

Eventually, however, Lucas (who has been through two divorces of his own) realizes that Nate is emotionally unavailable and bows out of their arrangement. This finally prompts Nate to deal with his divorce; once he does so, he finds Lucas and confesses his love. The two reunite, and all issues are resolved within about four minutes of conversation.

It's interesting that the book's formula, while similar to its prequel, falls flat in "Cover Up." Nate and Lucas, despite frequently thinking about how much they love each other, don't demonstrate any emotional intimacy to bolster their physical relationship. All in all, disappointing.

Another fantastic story in the Skin Deep series! We've met both these characters in prior books but even if you haven't read the prior books you can catch up quickly and enjoy this one. After ten years of marriage Nate Chandler found his cheating husband in bed with another man. Now in the middle of a divorce he's lost. After months of feeling numb, he's shocked when he finds himself drawn to the tempting tattoo artist Lucas Brandt. Lucas knows exactly what Nate is going through. He may be only 27 but he already has two divorces under his belt. These two start up a steamy fling but when feeling start to form Lucas knows things will never work out for them. He can't settle for being the rebound guy. Will Nate just let him walk away?

A fantastic sexy M/M romance that I would highly recommend

This is the third book in the Skin Deep Inc series. I liked the first one well enough and I really loved the second one. This one though comes in at a lower position than the first.

It was good but I didn't feel like there was a story to be told. Nothing really happened here that couldn't be summed up in one third of the length. Also, like with the first book, there were a lot of sex scenes. They were so many that about half of them could have been edited out and nothing would have been missed from the story.

The main characters, Lucas and Nate, were likeable and interesting but my issue remains that nothing happened in this book. They met, started a casual hook-up thing, realised that they fell in love. Everything was smooth sailing and then out of nowhere everything came crashing down. I seemed to be coming out of nowhere as nothing really happened before that except from Nate breaking down about his divorce and realising he should put that behind him once and for all. That shouldn't have caused a split between them but it did. It seemed like unneccessery drama and completely manufactured.

None of the things that Lucas said were his cause for splitting up were mentioned before, they just appeared as if from nowhere. They were understandable, but there was no follow up from the rest of the story.

The majority of the book was taken up by internal thoughts, Nate trying to make sense of his life and Lucas juggling three jobs. The guys from the previous books make appearances here and Colin and Daniel have a big scene and a lot of page time. I would have liked to see more of Jon and Matt, of course, as they are my favorite, but that's just me.

I don't know if there's another book coming in this series as there was no introduction of any new potential main characters and the last person working at the tattoo shop is Pete who is straight and married. If there turns out to be a fourth book I'll be sure to check it out. I may have loved just one out of the three books in this series but there is something about all of them that makes me want to follow this till the end.

Just 3 stars from me but I'm staying with this series till the last book so I'll get to know all the stories of the tattoo artists falling in love with military guys.

Cover Up
Skin Deep Inc. # 3
L.A. Witt
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great continuation to the Skin Deep story. I have read all the books in this series and really love how the author does an amazing job with her characters and their relationships.
In the end of book 2 you find out that Nate's husband had been cheating on him. So book 3 was Nate's story of how he moved on from his betrayal and his relationship with sexy tattoo artist Lucas.
I loved reading about the continuing relationships between Colin and Daniel, and also Matt and Jon. I always enjoy series that wind all the characters lives together so we know what happened with their lives.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars

While we met both Nate and Lucas in book two of the series, Pounding Skin, and Nate and his backstory are featured throughout that story, Cover Up can be read as a standalone, but this has been such a great series, that I really recommend you pick up the previous two stories. You won’t regret it, I promise!

It’s been three months since Nate came home and caught his husband Caleb, in bed with another man, he quickly tossed him out of their home and has filed for divorce. Ten years is a long time to spend with someone, and it’s not easy to heal, but Nate is starting to move on slowly. One of his first things he decides he needs to do is cover up the matching tattoo on his arm that he got with Caleb just a couple of years ago. He heads to the tattoo shop, Skin Deep Inc., and is introduced to Lucas, an apprentice, who is also a cover up expert.

Unfortunately, after a recent mess up on a client’s tattoo Lucas has lost his confidence in his artistic ability. When Nate and Lucas come face to face for the first time the sparks fly. Nate feels an attraction to Lucas that he thought had gone up in smoke with his marriage and the attraction is definitely mutual.

I really liked Nate and Lucas. They were both likable men and they fit well together. The chemistry between them was out of this world and once they got between the sheets, it really exploded. Both of their stories and the issues they were working through were interesting and I loved watching them grow both individually, and as a couple.

I loved getting to revisit and catch up with Matt and Jon, as well as Colin and Daniel, who made me swoon and cry!

I love that the story ends realistically. Both of these men know they love one another, but they have both been through divorce and although they want desperately for this to be “it”, they know life doesn’t always turn out the way you think it will or want it to, but we are still left with a solid happy ending and an epilogue that ties the series up beautifully.

I’ve really enjoyed this series and I’m sad to say goodbye to these six men. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that maybe Ms. Witt will revisit them sometime in the future. I’ve read a lot of her books and this series has definitely been my favorite by far, and I don’t say this often, but I loved it so much I’ll probably reread it in the future, especially Jon and Matt’s story, my favorite couple from the series.

A well-written, emotionally charged story that was very enjoyable and definitely recommendable!

*copy provided by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Nate Chandler walks into Skin Deep, Inc. looking for a tattoo artist to cover up the matching tiger tattoo he got along with his husband before he broke his heart. He thought he was going to be emotionally numb forever until he set eyes on Lucas Brandt who sets him on fire. Their initial one night stand turns into something more but its difficult for Nate to stop pretending that the past hasn’t scarred him and for Lucas to stop being scared that its just a rebound romance.
I enjoyed this story, never read any of L A Witt’s stories before but definitely will now.

I have really enjoyed this series and was especially looking forward to Nate's story. Both main characters are engaging.- Nate as he struggles to view relationships through a lens skewed by cheating and Lucas as he juggles three jobs and a past of impulsive relationships. The chemistry and heat is off the charts! L.A. Witt always writes sexy, alpha type men that melt your Kindle. The only thing I would have liked to see was more disection of Nate's divorce. The closure was there, but I just wanted more of it. There are definite twists in how Lucas handles the progression of the relationship- a perspective that was fresh and gave the story depth. I definitely recommend this read as well as the others in the series.

I’ve really enjoyed the Skin Deep Inc. series with it’s mix of hot men, tattoos, navy service and general sexiness, and this is no exception. We met both Nate and Lucas in Pounding Skin, where Nate’s marriage imploded and the prospect of a future attraction were hinted at. You don’t need to have read Pounding Skin to enjoy this, but it will help give a little more background to everything.

However, as with the other books in this series, there is a slight problem: there’s not enough plot to cover the story. In fact, of the three, this has the least plot of the lot. Nate’s marriage already imploded in the last book, so we don’t even have that drama to kick it all off. Instead Nate’s starting divorce proceedings, drinking a lot and is generally in a very unhappy place, while ignoring as many of his feelings as possible. Lucas is suffering from a lack of confidence in his tattooing, has a minor bad sex curse and… that’s it really.

Apart from the sex. There’s lots of sex, so if you like your M/M romances with lots of sex and aren’t too worried about plot, go for it.

Otherwise, this book gently bumbles along with Nate and Lucas falling into a relationship without either one of them wanting to acknowledge it. Lucas works really hard, Nate is trying to sell his house, they have sex, they enjoy each other’s company. It’s readable and enjoyable, but I couldn’t help waiting for something, anything to happen.

There is conflict, of course, but it skimmed the surface rather than delving particularly deep. It also gets resolved way too quickly. I would also have liked to have seen more of Lucas dealing with his confidence issue, because that fades out without much fanfare and I felt a bit cheated on not seeing him truly overcome it.

So, while I did enjoy it, it was a case of like rather than love. I like this setting, I like these characters and I do enjoy their stories – it was particularly nice to see the previous couples in their HEA – but I do sometimes find myself wanting a little more action, drama, tattoos, something, anything. Except for the sex, because there’s plenty of that. But if you’re looking for an easy, sexy read, and you enjoyed the other books in this series, then you’ll probably like this one as well.