So this is part of a series which I have newer read and i do think you do need to read them in order, but i continued anyway

Great characters, love the romance and it was seriously hot

Thank you Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

Lia and Reid are a beautiful couple and I adored Reid getting a story in The Darkest Link! Scarlett Cole takes a questionable character and makes him a great hero!

It took me 3 years to get back to this series but after rectifying that I jumped back into this series. There was the same keep a secret to protect some like each book within this series. But this time it was from the hero not the heroine. And unfortunately Lia was another giggler. Argh! That is totally a personal pet peeve within the romance novels.

"I've done the whole keeping -secrets-to-protect-the-other-person thing. It rarely works out."

This time around we get Lia's back story. Lia is on her way and finds herself stranded at the side of the road and she meets a sexy mechanic.

What starts as what is supposed to be only one night turns into more. So much more because Reid's back story ties into The Strongest Steel (#1) with Harper. This turns ties the whole series together.

Both Reid and Lia's fathers are a piece of work but Lia's is worse. Lia and Reid's story happened FAST but that is Lia's normal M.O. This time though it worked out for her. I did like Reid and Lia together but at times there was the elements of more sex than substance.

In the end I did like it and I feel like Scarlett did a good job closing up the series.

We met Lia from the previous book of this series. Lia came from an affluent family who worry about their own image than their daughter happiness. Lia is fiercely independent though and will do what make her happy even if it involves having a little fun time with a sexy mechanic. Reid is a good guy who has some demons that make it hard for him to move on but Reid’s life is about to change when he met the fierce gorgeous red-head. I like the incredible chemistry the two characters have for each other. I like how their relationship develop given both have to deal with their past. It felt a bit rush but plenty of passion and hot encounters. I did not care for the side story of Lia’s father but over all there is enough Reid and Lia to distract me. I like the epilogue – closure and perfect ending to the series.

I received the first and last book in this series from NetGalley and purchase the others. Of the four books in the series, I liked Trent and Harper's story the best. This book tells the story of Lia and Reid. I liked their story and chemistry, but again I felt like there was too much drama and coincidence. Why can't one of the characters in this series have a happy childhood and have a normal romance? I was sucked into the story and I enjoyed the updates on the couples from the previous books.

There were far too many coincidences happening in this story, some situations are unbelievable and illogical . Also to much drama : Lia getting blackmailed by her father, Reid reconnecting with his sister , Harper's mood swings and so on. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good written drama but this story was not the case.
Moving on to the characters .
Lia - bold, strong, a colorful character, with all her tattoos and pin up girl attitude....but that was about it. Looks and nothing more. Her character was too flat for me and her reactions abnormal. She agrees too easily with anything and anything related to Reid. No questions asked.
Reid was no better. I honestly had no connection with either of them .

I'm not saying it's a bad book, it just didn't work out for me, too soapy for my taste. It was like watching one of those Spanish telenovelas.

I loved Harper from the first book in the Second Circle Tattoos novels. When learning about what she survived and the role her brother, Reid, played in the ordeal I saw him as a villain. When I read the description for The Darkest Link I thought 'how in the world am I going to see this guy as a hero much less like him".

I was pleasantly surprised. Reid isn't perfect but he's also not a monster. There are a lot of things that he hid from Harper and a lot of guilt he's been lugging around after him. It's an emotional ride as Reid reunites with Harper and faces his own demons but ultimately satisfying.

In comparison to Reid's rather tortured existence Lia seems a little boring though she's got her own family issues. I felt for her as she tried to manage a rocky relationship with her family while being true to herself and the life she wants to lead.

A spicy romance, family drama and a dash of danger, it's Second Circle Tattoos.

Scarlett Cole is a genius. I adored Lia and Reid and just loved how the series came full circle. I'll read anything this author writes.

There are about fourteen circles of drama happening at all times in this one! It's hot as all hell for sure, but I wouldn't rate it as a standalone. You really need the whole context for the series to appreciate what Cole is doing here. As a contribution to the series - two thumbs way up.

Really good. I liked closing the circle on Harper and Trent's relationship. And Reid and Lia were great together.

Title: The Darkest Link
Series: Second Circle Tattoos Book #4
Author: Scarlett Cole
Genre: Romance
Blurb: When her car breaks down off the side of a lonely highway far from her sunny Miami home, tattoo artist Lia never expected her very own white knight to ride up on the back of a barely street-legal motorcycle...and she never expected to fall for her dark savior. After a string of failed relationships and a bruised heart, Lia is not looking for forever, and the hot mechanic, with his sexy scruff and shaggy hair, is simply impossible to resist and the perfect candidate for mind-blowingly-perfect, no-strings-attached one night stand.

Reid left his life in Chicago far behind him and hasn't been back, but he's never been able to escape the guilt he feels about his own painful role in inviting a monster into his baby sister's life. A monster who almost destroyed her. Being with Lia is an unexpected gift, one he doesn't feel he deserves, and their one night together has him wanting more than he should. Especially since she doesn't know the truth about his past. However, when he finds Lia’s bracelet in his bed, he has the perfect excuse to drive down and surprise her at her tattoo studio, Second Circle Tattoos, in Miami. He's in for an even bigger shock - and a fist to the face - when his past and present collide in the humid Miami weather when he runs into the last person he’d ever expect to see in a tattoo studio: Harper, the sister he betrayed, and the last link to his former life.
Favorite excerpt: “Do I look dressed for manual labor?” Lia looked down at her shoes and shrugged.
“Not one bit.” He laughed. “You look dressed for sunshine, sushi, and saki.”
“Any other S words?” she asked playfully, placing her hand on his side which was, Lord God, so freaking solid.
He leaned forward and slowly ran a finger down one of her curls, watching the way it bounced back into place. It was a simple move, and shouldn’t have aroused her like it did. Kenny placed his lips next to her ear. “Slipping, sliding, seducing, sucking, screwing, and sexual.” He stepped back. “Will those do you, Red?” he asked gruffly.
Thoughts: It all started with a pair of legs….. I knew as soon as I started The Darkest Link that it was going to be an A+ for me. Less than 10% into the book and I already had a long list of favorite quotes, excerpts, and bookmarks to add to my review. I was well and truly hooked from the start! I was already familiar with Scarlett Cole, having read one of the prior books in this series, The Purest Hook (book #2) – which also went down as a favorite book of mine. I was also familiar with most of the characters. In The Darkest Link, we have Lia and Reid who met on the side of the highway when Lia’s car breaks down. The chemistry and the draw between these characters is immediate and you feel that connection right away. I love the personalities of both main characters which the author makes so distinct. I loved the story. I loved the cute little nicknames between Lia and Reid. I just loved the whole damn thing! Period.
Not only would I advise any romance reader to grab The Darkest Link, but read any book in this series. The romance is enough to pull at your heartstrings, the scenes are hot, hot, HOT, and the story is compelling. I haven’t read books one or two of the series, but I am definitely up for catching up on those! Scarlett Cole has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and I hope to read much more from her in the future! In the meantime, I will most definitely be exploring her backlisted books.
Rate: A+
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com

I love this series!! The Darkest Link is the 4th book in the Second Circle Tattoos series but can be read as a stand alone. I love how the author combines red hot romance with a bit of mystery. Her characters are unique & interesting.

Can't wait to read more by Scarlett Cole

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

To say I loved this book would be an understatement! What a fantastic end to a series I adore! Reid's story has been one I have wanted since he was introduced as Harper's brother in book 1. Scarlett Cole does not disappoint with this one. I absolutely loved getting to know what kind of man Reid was and although I was prepared to hate him for what he did to his sister I ended up in love with him! He was sexy, sweet and a stand up guy who had legit reasons behind his decisions. Lia is sassy, sexy and confident and I loved her sense of style. It was a breath of fresh air to read a heroine like her who was comfortable in her own skin. Together Lia and Reid have major chemistry and this book is HOT, probably her hottest, sexiest yet, I couldn't get enough! As with all Ms. Coles books you get suspense, drama, romance and plenty of sexy times! The way Scarlett Cole writes makes you fall in love with the characters, want to enter their world and never want the book to end!
5 Amazingly Fantastic Stars!!!

LOVED this book and I love every book by Scarlett Cole. This whole series is a 5 star read!!!

reviews left on all platforms. Amazon, Goodreads and blogs both on facebook and the internet

Darkest Link by Scarlett Cole is the fourth book in the Second Circle Tattoos series. I have not read the previous books, but like many series in the romance genre I was able to fully enjoy the book regardless. If I had read the earlier books I would have a better understanding of some of the characters, but that did not stop me from enjoying this book.

When her car breaks down off the side of a lonely highway far from her sunny Miami home, tattoo artist Lia never expected her very own white knight to ride up on the back of a barely street-legal motorcycle...and she never expected to fall for her dark savior. After a string of failed relationships and a bruised heart Lia is not looking for forever, and the hot mechanic, with his sexy scruff and shaggy hair, is simply impossible to resist. He's the perfect candidate for a perfect, one-night stand. Reid left his life in Chicago far behind him and hasn't been back, but he's never been able to escape the guilt he feels about his own painful role in inviting a monster into his baby sister's life. A monster who almost destroyed her. Being with Lia is an unexpected gift, one he doesn't feel he deserves, and their one night together has him wanting more than he should. When he surprises her at her tattoo studio, Second Circle Tattoos, in Miami, he's in for a shock—and a fist to the face—when his past and present collide. With secrets coming to the surface, Reid and Lia are thrown into a world of betray and lies that threatens to pull them under, and the last link to his former life may be the darkest of them all.

Darkest Link is a story about falling in love hard and fast, facing the past, and moving on together. Lia is a tattoo artist with a rebellious streak, and some family issues- like a father that wants to control his family with no regard to what they want. Reid has some big dreams, but for now he is running from his past as he fixes cars and makes strides to fix his karma. He has made mistakes in the past, and when he meets Lia both of their issues come to a head- and everything is on the line. Will Reid entering Lia's circle of friends destroy everything- or finish settling things right. Coming to terms with past choices, sticking to your own ethics, and standing up to those who care about nothing as much as money and power are all strong themes here. I will admit that I saw some of the big twists and turns coming- but I really enjoyed the characters and the importance they put on communication. Those that have read the previous books are likely to see one coming much quicker than I, but the character reactions and whatnot were well done. This was a great weekend read, and I just might go back and read the previous books, because my interest has been peaked.

Darkest Link was a solid contemporary romance. I liked the realism of the character's emotions, even if the set up and situation were less than realistic. I enjoyed the characters and the read, and think that those that have read the previous books or are already fans of the author will enjoy it even more than I.

This book was OK but I just couldn't get into it and it became a trial to read. Couldn't get in tune with the characters or the story. I will still try other books by this author though.