Cover Image: Pretty in Ink

Pretty in Ink

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Member Reviews

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

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This was an easy book to read. The characters are interesting and easy to believe. The plot is simple, she gets a tattoo with her boyfriends name on her arm, then they part company. She is going to be a bridesmaid wearing a sleeveless dress and no one knows about the tattoo.She needs a partner with the same name as her former boyfriend, luckily her best friend has same name. Story progresses and there is a happy ending.

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I really like Ava series. I have the other books in the series. This was a good one. Am a fan of her work.

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PRETTY IN INK is a fun, charming romance of complete opposites attracting through some maneuvering by Liv in order to hide the real reason she has a man’s name tattoed on her. Some may think of Liv as a wild child, in reality, she’s one of those people that dumb, stupid thing happens to… a lot. So she probably should have known to not close her eyes during that tattoo, but needles, She hates needles, and she’s paying for that pain and oversight. Now she has to come up with a plan, fast, or things are going to go very wrong, very fast with her family.

Caleb is as straightlaced and dependable and boring as he can make himself. Oh, he has some convoluted reason for making himself be this way since he does not come by the buttoned-up look naturally. Now he’s being asked by the woman he’s admired from afar believing she’d never want anything to do with him. Sure, he could definitely pretend to be Liv’s boyfriend for a bit – but what happens when pretend becomes reality, and a bit becomes a wish for forever.

I had fun with PRETTY IN INK. I don’t think I’ve met such totally on different sides of the earth opposites before. I enjoyed their romance so much. Yes, there were missteps but at their base, they both liked each other and if given a chance they could make a future… they each just have to give the other a chance. This is a love story to make you smile, maybe giggle a bit and wish the couple a good life. If you love a good solid love story then you’d enjoy this one. I’ll be picking up the rest of the series since now my curiosity is engaged about the rest of this family.

*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.*

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I thought this was a good book but not great. It starts off a little slow, but did get better halfway thru it.

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The fake relationship thing never works out the way they intend - we all know that, but it is still fun to see what happens! Liv and Caleb had a long friendship/history and Liv is known among her family members for making poor choices, so navigating their relationship was difficult but totally worth it. The loser ex with the tattoo mistake was the best thing that ever happened to them!

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Olivia/Liv liked to follow her instincts. C J was Olivia’s boyfriend, he wasn’t the perfect boyfriend but he understood her. They were at the tattoo shop- Permanent Ink. Olivia told CJ she was afraid of needles. Than Caleb ward wrapped his fingers around Liv’s arm after her name had been called. Liv had a crush on Caleb when they were just kids. Caleb asked Liv what she was doing there. She couldn’t tell Caleb why she was there he’d be calling her parents right away. Than Liv told C J Caleb was Rafe’s best friend. Liv tried to remember if Caleb had been at dinner when she told her parents two months ago she had broken up with C J. Caleb wouldn’t have to mention a tattoo C J’s name would freak them out. Than Caleb said he was there working. Liv than homicide in hamburger habit. Dead bodies at Delray’s Deli? Caleb than said he didn’t discuss open cases. Caleb said she didn’t want Liv to do something she’d regret. He’d was returning to where he had seen Liv last and and seen CJ walking and he asked CJ where Liv was and he said the tattoo shop and they were no longer together. Than the tattoo artist told Liv she could open her eyes and see her tattoo and she seen the name caleb on her arm. Liv knew she had been fuzzy when she picked out the tattoo but she thought she had chosen a butterfly or flower. Three months later after liv got the tattoo and she was trying to muscle her life back on track but she still had a ways to go. Liv wrote up a business plan for Designs By Olivia. She got tp the final round in a local design competition. She upped her hours at Hannigan's and moved back in with her parents to save money on rent. Her mother had “ found” her business plan and her father asked her how much she needed and they would loan it too her. Her mom said she was proud of her and said they knew she would make this business a success. Three months later- Caleb hadn’t seem :Liv since the day in front of Permanent Ink. Now at her brothers house he heard her voice. For the last three months she wasn’t at any of her family's functions but now he could see that she was ok and maybe he could get her out of his head. Than jen-rafe’s wife had a woman there for caleb to meet. Her name was Joslyn and before he left that evening he realized Joslyn would be perfect for him and asked her out. Liv told calab Joslyn was the female version of himself and he needed someone to shake him up . jar him out of his routine. Joslyn said she though He and Liv were involved. Caleb said Liv was like a younger sister. Luiv had spent three months avoiding caleb , picking up extra hours at work, even claiming to be sick one time. Now she had to go to her cousin Ella’s engagement party. She had to hope her family remembered caleb wasn’t actually a Voretti and shouldn’t have to suffer through the four weeks of mandatory wedding “fun” leading up to Ella’s wedding. Caleb entered the room to ella ripping off Liv’s blouse, he gave Kayla his shirt and told Ella he would make sure Liv had a fitting at the bridal shop. Liv told Caleb he had ruined everything but he couldn’t think of anything but her against him- sweet, hot, and necessary. Liv was one of the women caleb was never going to have. Than her parents barged in and mistoke the situation. Than Liv said she needed him to be her pretend boyfriend until after the wedding so everyone would think caleb being on her arm was for him. He was going to say no until he seen the tears. Liv never cried so he ended up agreeing. Caleb knew he had always wanted Liv n=more than he should and she scared the hell out of him. Caleb and Liv went to the bar after he called his friend Ezra help he get off CJ’s balcony. Caleb kissed her and Liv wanted more but he pulled himself away after she had invaded “Fix It Day” at his place when she had heard about his and Joslyn’s date. Then after the kisses Caleb had wiped out every other man from Liv’s memory. Before they knew it the wedding was over and it was the last morning of being a fake couple . Caleb admitted to Liv it just wasn’t going to happen with Joslyn.
I enjoyed reading this book. I loved Caleb and Liv together. I liked the plot but the pace did drag for me at times. I liked how close Liv and her family were and that they made caleb a part of that family. I liked the closeness between Rafe and Caleb. Caleb and Liv were opposite each other but some of it was because Caleb held himself in check because of his parents and how they had treated him while he was growing up and the anger he had pushed so far deep inside himself. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.

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Reviewing for NetGalley

This is an brother’s best friend story. The book is an easy read in a day, I found it great book to get out of a reading slump. Great writing by the author, I can’t wait to read more from this series/author.

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Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC! It was a fun read. I look forward to reading more from this author and following these characters.

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Pretty in Ink is the first book I’ve read by Ava Blackstone, and I was pleasantly surprised! This book was lightheaded, fast paced, funny, and heartfelt. Liv and Caleb were both such lovable characters, I was rooting for them within the first few pages. While character growth is limited, both main characters develop a better since of self awareness as the book progresses. I do feel like the book was a touch anticlimactic, but it was a very nice change from drama and angst filled romances. I would highly recommend Pretty in Ink and look forward to reading others in the series!

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Pretty in Ink is the story of a woman, Liv, who accidentally tattoos the name of her loser boyfriend on her arm. When he dumps her immediately after, she is stuck with his name permanently on her body. She is able to hide the tattoo from her parents (who believe her to be too impulsive and irresponsible) for a while, but then Liv is asked to be a bridesmaid in a family wedding and she realizes she won’t be able to hide the mistake any longer. Liv enlists the help of a family friend who happens to have the same name as her ex - pretneding to date him so the tattoo doesn’t seem rash. But as they pretend to be a couple, the pair realize that they have more in common than either expected, and their feelings grow.

This is a sweet and light read about realizing that though you may have known someone your whole life, you may still know none of the important things about them. Overall, a great, feel-good book.

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I really loved Pretty in Ink. It was a very simple story with sweet characters. I thought Liv was adorable and Caleb so perfect. Almost too perfect, so I liked the twist of who screwed up and how. I want to read more about the family for sure.

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Ink-Voretti-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B01DYJBE5I/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1550093097&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=pretty+in+ink&dpPl=1&dpID=518h22sspIL&ref=plSrch


We begin the book with Olivia Vioretti, also known as Liv. Liv is the youngest sibling and the wild child of the family. Liv's current boyfriend, CJ takes her to get a tattoo and ends up with his name, Caleb on her bicep in bold cursive letters. Did I mention that Liv isn't a big fan of needles? While at the tattoo parlor, Liv runs into her brother's friend, Caleb, a police detective. Unfortunately, this permanent fixture of having his name put on her body caused CJ to break up with her, right before her sister's wedding. How do you explain to your sister having your now ex-boyfriend's name on your body???? We are then fast forwarded to three months later where Liv is living back with her parents and her mother has found her business plan for Designs by Olivia by it falling out while she was "dusting" Her parents offer to back her for this project. This is all wonderful, until Ella, Liv's sister asks her to wear a strapless dress as a Bridesmaid in her wedding, which means that everyone will get to see the name of the person they hate most on her arm.There is an incident with Liv and Caleb in her parent's house that on the outside was very scandalous. This leads Liv to arranging a fake relationship with Caleb until after the wedding is over.
This is where things start to get good! Keeping up with appearances, dating other people and in the end, there is a nice happily ever after, but whose?
This was such a great book where I didn't see things coming all along. I thought I did, but the secrets that get unearthed and the drama that unsues is just awesome!
Make sure to get your copy!

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Rating: 3.5 stars

Pretty in Ink is about Liv and Caleb. Our characters are 100% different. They're polar opposites, and they knew each other as they were growing up. Liv is the black sheep of their family– the wild child, the one who doesn't know what to do with her life, the one who always makes mistakes. While we have Caleb, a man who strives hard to be a respectable man and do good. A man who knows what he wants for his life and will do whatever it takes to not have a life like his parents.

The 'fake-boyfriend' trope concerned me at first, but as I delved deeper into the story, I was completely fine with it. This trope helped our characters become who they really are, and made them realise what they actually need instead of getting what they want.

Liv and Caleb maybe are polar opposites, but as we all know, there really are certain people who bring out our best selves. Good people bring out the good in other people, and that's what exactly happened to our main characters. They were exactly what they needed, they didn't even see it.

I recommend this book to people who are into romance between longtime friends and just realised their feelings or to people who are into coming-of-age books that are an easy read.

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This is Liv and Caleb book, Liv is sort of suckered into getting a tattoo she's always wanted one but she's afraid of needles and her ultra conservative parents wouldn't approve! Now thanks to a strapless bridesmaids gown her mistake of a tattoo is going to be revealed! She thought she was getting a tasteful butterfly instead she got her boyfriend at the times name!! Livs family is the closest thing to a family that Caleb has! So when Liv comes to him for help he can't say no! This book was funny it unfortunately a little boring in parts for me! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

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This book was received as an ARC from Kobo Writing Life in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely loved this story. The characters, the concept and the plot were really breathtaking and enjoyable. This will definitely be a book that will spark the young romancer in all of us. I also loved that this was a stand alone novel and you can read all the books in the series out of order.

We will definitely consider adding this title to our Romance collection in our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

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Enjoyable Quick Read.
Caleb is concerned that he may turn out like his parents if he lets himself be anything other than buttoned up and considered in everything he does. He has therefore always been alarmed by the feelings that Liv invokes in him, she stirs him up until he doesn’t know up from down, right from left; but when she asks him for a favour that means getting close to her, he cannot say no. In the process Liv discovers a different man to the one she thought she knew. Recommended read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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A quick fun, flirty read. While the fake boyfriend trope has been done before, nothing about this felt tired, this fast passed fresh take, felt new. With moments of humor, and drama this book checked all my boxes. It was believable, and sincere, keeping me on the edge of my seat without resorting to angst, the characters actions felt genuine, and their reactions were never over the top or undeserved, but at the end of the day nothing was so big it couldn't be overcome. Caleb and Liv were meant for each other, and seeing them reunited brought a smile to my face, completely real-feeling HEA.

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This book is super spicy!! The first chapter had me in stitches!! And it just got better from there! You should definitely pick this up. I’m going to be reading the other ones in this series, as well!

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I love this third book in the Voretti Family series. The main focus of this book is little sister Olivia "Liv". She's known as the wild and irresponsible one. Her family doesn't seem to truly respect her until she gets involved with Caleb. Caleb is her brothers best friend and a straight-laced cop. He stays in tight control of his emotions at all times except the one thing he can't control is his desire for Liv. When he plays her fake boyfriend, their feelings blossom for each other and Caleb allows his wild side to come out for a change. I also enjoyed getting to know the other members of Voretti family. They really embraced Caleb before and after they were a couple which is nice to see. I would've liked to see Caleb's problems and issues get dived into a bit more by him and Liv, but the issues kind of get left in the background in the bit of a rush to get them together as a couple. All in all, this is another solid book by Ava Blackstone and a must read if you're a fan of her work like myself.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

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