Without Me

Aug 2

Written By Ally Talley

Men of Inked #5

By Chelle Bliss

Reading Order Timeline for the three Men of Inked Series:

Men of Inked (original)
Men of Inked: Southside (Chicago)
Men of Inked: Heatwave (the second generation)
*Can be read as a standalone*

TheStory

Manwhore Anthony has always been good at getting women - without even trying. When his band plays a gig at a bar, he meets Max, a sassy stylist with no intention of getting involved with men.

Because she is the one woman he can’t have, Anthony relentlessly pursues her. But her reasons for never wanting a man are deeper than anyone knows. And that secret will threaten herself, Anthony, and their potential happily ever after.

TheReview

The first half is slow enough that I didn’t think I was gonna like this book. But it gets better in the second half. Once Max’s reasons for being… well… a bitch… are revealed, the story reaches its climax. Then their love story becomes even more intense.

While most of the series can be read as standalones, you definitely want to read Uncover Me (Men of Inked #4) prior to this one mostly because the timelines overlap significantly. Uncover Me has some important details that will make reading this one not only more enjoyable, but also make the story more comprehensible and understandable.

This is not the classic “love at first sight” story. At least not for Max. And for Anthony, it’s more like lust at first sight - he just wants what he can’t have. But it’s still so sweet. Besides the bomb dropped about Max, there aren’t a lot of surprises but there are a few. And they are hilarious. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this one.

The last chapter jumps ahead five years. It shows where all the siblings and their partners are now. It looks like it’s preparing for the Men of Inked: Heatwave… which is the same set up but for the next generation (the kids of the current MCs).

Ultimately, a cute wrap up to all the siblings’ love stories. There was a sense of completion. It just wasn’t anything special. But there are still two more books in this series that follow previous main characters as they go through new dramas. Still, you could probably stop after this one and be happy with what feels like a completed series.