Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Scratcher

SERIES:  Iron and Works

AUTHOR:  E.M. Lindsey

PUBLISHER:  self-published

LENGTH:  278 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 23, 2021

BLURB:

“I meant it when I said I love you. I was afraid I wouldn’t know it when I finally felt it, but I do.”

No last names.
No second dates.
No staying over.

Those three hook-up rules are only things keeping new tattoo artist, Micah, afloat in his love life, because without them, he’ll spiral. His BPD doesn’t define who he is, but it makes him love hard, and love fast. It makes him burn bright, until everything around him is consumed. He has his job at Irons and Works and his friendship with the other artists to keep him centered, and the rest is just… details.

But when a gorgeous man in a rumpled polo with the weight of the world on his shoulders walks into a bar one Thursday night, everything that holds Micah’s routine together is tested. Because the moment Ryan opens his mouth, Micah wants.

But Ryan’s life is just as complicated, if not more so.

Micah’s willing to bend the rules for him, but Ryan isn’t able to offer more than their Thursday night hook-ups, and he has no plans to tell Micah why.

For the first time in his life, Micah wants to fight to keep what he has, he just needs to know that Ryan is willing to give him something worth fighting for.

Scratcher is the seventh book in the Irons and Works series which are best read in order. It contains no cheating and a happily ever after.

REVIEW:

Ryan’s dedicated his life to taking care of his daughter.  Her mother dumped her with him and he’s made it his mission to keep her safe – well as safe as she can be with an illness that controls her life – and by extension his.  He gets one night a week to himself when his devoted sister Rachel handles Violet.

Micah is a tattoo artist at Iron and Works.  He’s settled in a mostly his life is good.  He’s taking his meds, he’s going to therapy, he’s honest with his coworkers and they all love him.  They treat him like family and call him on his crap.  He knows they won’t let him spiral out of control.  He’s been through a lot, but he’s survived and dare he say even almost thriving.

When Ryan and Micah meet on a Thursday night at Ruby’s, they leave together.  Heading to Micah’s.  Ryan isn’t put off about Micah’s prosthetic leg.  They agree to just keep it casual – Thursday nights, nothing personal, no last names.  Except that both of them catch feelings.  And neither of them is prepared for that.

Micah has to be honest with Ryan about this BPD and his bipolar.  Ryan has to be honest about Violet.  But of course it takes a crisis for that to come to pass.  And then it’s a delicate dance.  Can they each deal with the hard things in life the other has to deal with?  Can they each be honest enough with each other and handle that things are not going to be pretty a lot of the time?  Can they handle that Violet’s health is uncertain and Ryan’s been handling it by himself for years?  Can they both be strong enough to deal with all that comes with this messy life and be there for each other, no matter what happens?  Well of course you know it won’t be easy 😉

Oh this book!  All the feels.  The more I read this author’s books, the more enamored I am.  They really GET these characters.  The tender loving clear-eyed brave portrayal of all that Ryan and Micah are dealing with is really amazing.  Yes, they both have HEAVY baggage.  Yes, they’ve both have been terribly lonely and starved for love and attention.  But somehow, they managed to really show incredible courage in dealing with everything that continues to come at them all the time.  I just adored how these two men did the dance that everyone has to when getting into a relationship when things aren’t all roses and sunshine – and honestly, when isn’t that the case.  Maybe it’s your stepkid or your parent with dementia or your sister who is an alcohol or your bipolar nephew or your cousin with epilepsy or whatever.  Glennon Doyle uses the word “Brutiful” to describe this human life.  She’s right.  And this story is a shining example of how brutiful life can be – that despite the pain and the hurt and the longing and the sadness and the sickness and the feelings of unworthiness, there is hope and hard work and forgiveness and grace that we can allow each other to get through it and make it something wonderful in the end.  Not perfect.  But something worthwhile.   While not a bed of roses – by a long shot – this is a gorgeous story of dealing with an making the best of one’s circumstances.  Beautifully done once again.  this author is a master of taking characters with challenges (which I think we used to all “broken” but I think that’s insulting to most people now) and showing us how they can if not overcome them, then manage them in a way so as to be able to gain a fulfilling life that is so worthy of love and contentment.  Highly recommended – along with this whole series!

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

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