Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Links: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
When Lewis’ car breaks down in the middle of nowhere with rain on the way, he is dreading calling for a tow (getting caught watching porn in the mechanic’s shop is something he will never live down). But when a sexy silver fox on a motorcycle stops to help, Lewis’ luck might be turning around. The two have a hot hookup in Lewis’ car during the downpour that thrills them both. But when Arrow leaves his number, Lewis is too embarrassed by how needy he came across to take the chance on calling him.
A month later, Lewis is opening the new location for his flower shop. It is a great space… if the folks at the tattoo shop next door weren’t blasting their music so loud the walls are shaking. Lewis gets off on the wrong foot when he goes to confront the guy working at Ink Slingers, which leads to an all out prank war that he is determined to win. On the plus side, Lewis runs into Arrow again, and they have another hot hookup. But Lewis has heard from enough exes that he is too clingy and needy, so he is determined to play it casual this time.
Arrow is a relationship kind of guy, but he knows he falls hard too quickly. He had hoped that Lewis would call him after their first meeting, but he never heard from the adorable twink and he is not going to push. When the guys meet again, Arrow is thrilled. And when that leads to even more time together, it is even better. But keeping this casual isn’t as easy as either Arrow or Lewis had hoped. Both men are falling fast and hard, but if they can work up the nerve to share their feelings, they may realize they are both on the same page after all.
Flash is the first book in K.M. Neuhold’s new Ink Slingers series and I am all here for it. The series takes place in a shared world with Neuhold’s Four Bears Construction and Big Bull Mechanics series, but new readers can easily jump in here. Arrow is Henry’s brother from Rear Ended and some of the guys make cameos, but this story stands alone just fine. (However, if you like the vibe of this book, I think you will also enjoy the other series and I can definitely recommend them).
This story has two main plot themes. The first is that both Lewis and Arrow are the type to fall hard and fast, and both men are determined to keep things casual this time. So while they both are into each other immediately, both are also trying to play it low key, despite how much they like one another. Neuhold is so good with character chemistry and I could definitely feel it here between these guys. Their connection is sexy and sweet and both men are kind of teddy bears together. They are hot and into each other from the start, but they both need to work up the nerve to admit it. I would have liked a little more backstory development here, since the hold up is both men have had bad experiences in the past that have made them wary. So a little more detail I think would have rounded it out better to help understand their fears. But I loved Arrow and Lewis together and found them an appealing pair.
The other conflict has a bit of a farcical element that I think works well. Lewis ends up fighting with the guy he meets at Ink Slingers (Jag, whom I’m pretty sure we met in one of the Big Bull books). This starts a prank war between Lewis and the guys from the tattoo shop that Arrow owns, but neither Lewis nor Arrow put together that link. They have all these near missed connections, like when Arrow sees the door open to Lewis’ flower shop just before he drives away, then Lewis walks out to see a motorcycle leaving, neither realizing they work next door to each other. It’s a bit over the top at times, but I think it adds some fun and humor watching the guys have this series of near misses. It also allows for another level of conflict as they ultimately figure out their connection, which I think adds a nice element to the story given their relationship is mostly smooth sailing.
In addition to being a tattoo artist at Ink Slingers, Arrow and most of the guys in the shop are in a motorcycle club together. However, the club is mostly in the background and they are pretty low key about it all. It is mostly a chance for them to ride on their bikes together and do some good deeds. This is definitely not a gritty motorcycle club story and the club doesn’t play a big role in the book. That was totally fine for me, but I just want to clarify in case anyone is expecting a dark motorcycle club book with morally gray characters, as is often seen in that genre.
I am so excited for this series, as I just love this world Neuhold has created and it is always fun to return to it. I enjoyed meeting the other guys in the shop and can’t wait for their stories.
