Review: Inked Beauty: Wicked Inked duet: Book 2

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Inked Beauty: Wicked Inked duet: Book 2 by Candace Blevins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Incredible ending with new Chinese mythos that blows my mind. In book one of this duet, we learn the name of Gavin's love interest.  Many of us questioned Ms. Blevin's sanity when we saw who Gavin picked.  Not because the pick was bad.  The uphill battle Gavin must take on with his "in-laws" is what really threw me for a loop.  How on earth would he be able to overcome the hard feelings he caused with his love interest's relatives?  I have to hand it to Ms. Blevins.  She does superb job of it and I am very happy with how this story turned out.  Well, with 1 little item.  I'll get to that in a moment.

First, I loved how this relationship Gavin develops with Lauren is complicated with steps forward and back.  I also love how Lauren stays in character with her responses because she is a psychiatrist's daughter. This means she knows better and realizes she has to work through her issues instead of avoiding it.  Lauren even mentions this and it makes me laugh.  Second, I loved the interactions between Gavin, Lauren, and Nick.  Nick is an asshole cat.  I have issues with lions in particular.  The one lion shifter I tend to have zero issues with is from another author who writes the Kate Daniel series.  I have no issues with how Curran thinks and I'm usually on his side.  For some reason the rest of the lion shifters across multiple authors, I just cannot deal with them.  They piss me off.  Nick's treatment of Lauren at one point makes me want to set his tail on fire.  Lauren is the bigger person and does what is needed to appease Nick's cat's arrogant ego.  I'm still not happy about it but it is what it is.  I don't have to agree with what the characters do, even if I understand it.  

Third, Ms. Blevins creates a new kind of paranormal that has me over the moon.  Lauren is special in many ways.  As she comes into her own power, I am thrilled with it.  For me, Ms. Blevins does this new power justice and I'm a bit confused at first because whilst I don't know all the different Chinese mythos, I know a good portion of them because I was raised on them in a Chinese household.  I'm scratching my head on this new supernatural one and I'm questioning how I missed this as a child.  Whelp, it turns out that this is a complete fabrication on Ms. Blevin's part.  This type of supernatural does not exist yet she makes it seem so plausible with her understanding of Chinese cultural that I buy into this being a real supernatural creature in Chinese mythology.  Well done!  Now I kind of wish this kind of supernatural does exist and I want to be one.  Hah.

Fourth, I am completely blind sided by the cross over plot from another series in this world. I forgot about the humans being kidnapped for nefarious reasons. The way that plot ties into this story is nicely done and I cannot wait to see how that is resolved and in which series it will show up in.  This entwining of the different series works for me because I read every book Ms. Blevins writes.  I like how the characters and stories build a multilayered world.

 I mentioned previously I enjoyed everything about this book except for one thing.  I must first state that I am not an adopted child so my perceptions and thoughts are not going to be the same.  Lauren finds out that she can learn about her ancestry and yet she wants nothing to do with it.  I understand her viewpoint.  I'm just a curious cat and I want to know more about it.  I want to know the whys and the what-ifs.  Perhaps in a future book this may come into fruition.  I can say that if it does, it is going to be EXPLOSIVE.  Because I cannot see how meeting her relatives will go well because well... the Chinese are not fond of those they cannot control.  *rubs hands in glee*  

 Lastly, I loved how Gavin, Lauren, and Nick make their relationship their own and everyone else can keep their nose out of it.  Theses three make a strong united front and it is lovely.  This urban fantasy with a sexy dose of erotica is highly recommended.

* I received this book as an ARC.  No review was required.  I wrote one anyway.