| Title | : | Written on His Skin |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 114 |
| Publication | : | First published July 6, 2017 |
You could be anyone. I could be anyone.
And then, suddenly, we're more than anyone.
We're someone...
When Abigail Trent agreed to write a letter to a soldier deployed overseas, she expected it to be a fleeting exchange. A friendly back-and-forth that ended barely after it began. She didn't expect Theodore LaRoux.
It isn't strange that writing feels so good. It's right.
Here's my secret: I like making you feel good...
Abby didn't expect Roux to be a living fantasy, either--sexy, smart and strong enough to star in every one of her dreams. So, was it any wonder that when he asked for a photo, she sent one that would star in his dreams? The fact that it was a picture of someone else wouldn't be a problem. After all, it's not like they'd ever meet...right?
Wrong.
***
Written On His Skin is a sexy, dirty 30,000-word novella featuring a set-the-pages-on-fire Cajun hero and the curvy girl who wins his heart. HEA guaranteed.
Written on His Skin Reviews
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5 Bébé Stars ⭐
I have read 'Written On His Skin' countless times, yet this story never fails to captivate me. I swear there is magic in these words and of course there is the gorgeous hunk of a man Sergeant Theodore LaRoux who will melt your heart and your panties...
A love affair written in letters. This is a must read for die-hard romantics that enjoy a good romance with a side of dirty.
"I could tell you all my secrets.
I should also tell you that I’m not terribly fascinating.
Sorry. I’m just Abby."
Roux has been deployed overseas for over a decade. Accustomed to being alone he is surprised to receive a letter from a random stranger.
Abby who spends most her days tending to fur babies wasn't expecting much when she agreed to write a letter. A letter that would provide a soldier with friendship and comfort whilst being away serving their country.
Neither imagined that their instant connection over written ramblings would quickly become feelings shared through love notes. But what's the harm in fantasizing and embellishing the truth when you're never going to meet the person?
Watching our hot French speaking alpha convince the shy Abby that they can be more beyond paper will have you giddy with joy and lust. Truly, if you enjoy a well written OTT romance packed with heat, read the damn book. ❤️
"Every moment is fated.”
She caught her breath. Then, unable to stop herself, asked, “Even this one?”
He reached up, cupping her cheek, pulling her down for a kiss. “Especially this one." -
3.5 stars
Very good for the debut novel.
Likable characters, safe, sexy.
Thanks God the hero wasn’t a "player" and the heroine wasn’t a virgin!
I only wish she were more self-confident. I know, I know… we, women, tend not to like and accept ourselves as we are. We have doubts, we are not perfect.
Believe me, it took me many years, but I finally reached the point when I HONESTLY say:
“Yeah, I’m not a model, but I’m damn hot, beautiful, smart and sexy! I freaking love myself!”
Well, what I actually wanted to say *lol* - I wished the heroine gained more self-confidence and wasn’t ashamed of her looks and body.
EVERY SINGLE WOMAN IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
EVERY SINGLE WOMAN DESERVES TO BE WOOED AND WORSHIPPED!!!
And not only every single, but also married/engaged/taken/without status woman!!! *lmao*
We rock, ladies!!! Cheers!
-
This cannot be a debut book! What an incredible little gem this was. There were so many feels from the very first word until the last as Ms. Stark places her readers into the very heart of her characters.
I fell in love with Roux the minute he saw that letter on his cot and would’ve tossed it away but chose instead to open it. His reactions both physically and emotionally to each letter or package that was delivered only increased my connection to him. He’s a hardened warrior who has been alone for too long, living for his job when Abby unexpectedly enters his life. I don’t claim “book boyfriends” but if ever I did, Theodore LaRoux would be at the top.
In contrast to Roux’s strength and determination, Abby is soft and sweet. Lonely in her own way, she suffers from self-image issues. Despite the differences between them, and as hard as she tries to keep Roux away, she cannot help but yield to the call of her Loupe.
This was a beautiful read and ended way too soon for my liking. (One could never have enough Roux.) I did feel that the story was lost some once these two got together physically, but I believe that’s because there was so much magic in the letters.
Dual POV
Safe
No Triggers -
***3.5 "Magic Peen Gave Me Self-Esteem" Stars***
I have to say that this book hooked me from the get-go.
First off, that blurb? YES PLEASE! I love books with some sort of long-distance communication. Letters, emails, texts, anything....I LOVE IT!
And this book delivered right from the beginning. An honest letter from Abby to Roux set the stage perfectly.
"You could be anyone. I could be anyone. And suddenly, we're more than anyone. We're someone. To each other. Letters are magic that way, don't you think?"
Roux has had a lonely adulthood. Losing his parents at a young age and joining the military as soon as his grandmother died, he's spent over 15 years oversees serving his country. And Abby's letter felt like a lifeline. A connection to someone that he felt deeply.....IMMEDIATELY.
Now, I am no hater of insta-lust/love. Not at all. It doesn't turn me off, and I don't even blink if I see it in a blurb/review. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Here....it worked, but at the same time, it was a little too much.
Roux was all kinds of turned on and hard as a rock from the moment he opens up Abby's first letter, reads the first couple of paragraphs, and sees her beautiful handwriting...he was done for.
So, I'm all about a man falling for a woman in all kinds of ways...I love your honesty, your sense of humor, your intelligence, your beauty....your penmanship? *cue record scratch*
But you know what? I rolled with it.
The letters QUICKLY got flirty and naturally Roux was all *bangs chest* Abby is MINE! Which is when my rolling with it turned into an ummmmmm, let's slow our roll a bit.
Abby's insecurity with her appearance and decision to send her sister's picture to Roux had me pausing a bit. That's a little weird. I'd be pissed as hell if my sister did that. Dude, you're sending my pic to strangers and chatting them up? No.
So, let's talk about Abby's insecurity. She's a little chubby (per her), and kinda boring (per her), and nerdy (per her). Personally, (minus the insecurity), I thought she was adorbs. Her animal puns t-shirts were amazing and I want every single one of them. However, she constantly compared herself to her "perfect" sister and was convinced that a man like Roux would never want "someone like her." And there go my eyes rolling away...
Of course the inevitable happens and the two finally meet (I have to be honest and say that this scene straddled the line of creepy for me a wee bit). The sparks are there and oh boy so are the sexy good times. Roux does not hold back in his dirty talk and dirty ways. Homeboy could get it any day.
Just know....the heat has been brought.
And now we move into our hero injecting self-esteem into our heroine via his awesomely amazing dick. He bathes her in compliments of how wonderful, smart, funny, sexy she is....and *light bulb* if someone like Roux could find her awesome, maybe she is. Ugh. This is a narrative in romance that I really want to bash with an oversized hammer. Why? Why is this a thing?
One hot guy with a dirty mouth and a life-changing dick and POOF!! Look at that, I'm so amazing and love myself.
If it weren't for this pet peeve, I would have rated this higher.
Because you know what? The writing here is good. The characters were pretty well developed for such a short novella. The story hooked me, kept me reading, and had me invested from start to finish.
And I'll tell you another thing. I'm keeping my eye out for Simone Stark and her future books. She hooked me with this debut, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what else she has up her sleeves. -
One of the sweetest romances I ve read? Absolutely!
Review to come ♥️ -
3.5 stars
Letters are magic, don't you think?
You could be anyone. I could be anyone.
And then, suddenly, we're more than anyone.
We're someone...
I'm a sucker for romances where the couples falls in love by letter. Roux is in the military and Abby is a veterinarian who writes him a letter. These two connect over paper long before they meet in person. This was a little too fast and too insta-lovey for me, but overall I liked it a lot! I think if it was a full length novel it would have been even better, but still a win. -
Thank you, Carla for recommending this book. This is the kind of books I search for in a novella but rarely find. It was maturely written, had a strong alpha, insta-love and just a really good storyline that had me re-reading certain lines in the book because it was just that good. Loved it!
-
So close to 5 stars. ...
This is a correspondence love story done right! It was so sweet. The build up to their meeting was perfect. Sexual tension and flirting. I loved that there was no cheating or ow/om drama whatsoever. It was true romance which doesn't need all of that nonsense.
The heroine pushed away for a short bit but she was so miserable without him. Roux was perfection. His Cajun dialect and dirty mouth was the stuff of dream heroes!
So, what kept it from being 5 stars for me? Well, while the epilogue was cute, 2 months out isn't enough. I want, no I NEED, to know how their lives panned out. I just didn't meet my expectations at the end. -
I'll be reading more of this author, mark my words.
It was soooo good! The perfect Valentine's Day treat!
Even tho it was a novella, it had all the feels, the sexy times, the character development. Yes, the plot was simple. I LOVE LETTER WRITING!
I love falling in love and building relationships with letters! One of my fave tropes in romance.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Roux!!! Loup! Furry wolf! Where can I get me one????
Abby was... OK. A curvy, insecure, sweet woman.
Honestly, now I want to find the nearest office to write a random soldier a hot, flirty letter, and hope I can get my own Roux too!
Loved. -
4.5 Stars
Whoa, this was hot, hot, hot! I got this rec from Sarah McLean in her Old School Romance Book Club group on FB. While this is def not old school, it was one hell of a read. Fairly short, wildly romantic, and smoking hot, it starts out with letters from a deployed Green Beret to his lady pen pal of sorts. And it ends with some explosive chemistry. Definitely a goodie. -
If someone literally entered my brain and wrote a book about half of my fantasies, "Written on his Skin" would be how it goes. It is the story of Abby and Roux.
-A hot military hero
-A curvy, shy heroine
-Pets called Darcy and Bennet (which are my dream names from future pets)
-A pen pal romance
-Insta love
-Dirty talk
-Sweet, devoted hero
-Mild angst
-HEA
-Epilogue
I was severely disappointed by recently published books so I had reverted to Old School romances- this has revived my kinky soul. Really enjoyed it.
Much love and thanks to Megan for suggesting this.
Safe
4.5/5 -
3.5 stars
Let me make one thing clear, I did NOT like the heroine. I wanted to seriously bitchslap her and I never warmed up towards her!
She lied, and that lie is not a small lie, it’s almost a crime. What she did, she did without her sister’s consent!
However I just Loved the hero all the 3 stars are for the hero. He’s compassionate, caring and loyal to a fault with a cajun accent. I. AM. DYING! There wasn’t even slightest emotional cheating in the book. The hero felt he was wrong to be attracted by heroine’s photo when he thought she was someone else, so he stopped looking and thinking about it, and concentrated on handwriting.
His pursual might seem stalkerish to some, however, it was very clear to both him and readers that heroine didn’t really mean her protest. She acted unnatural, and he did what any friend would do, and he was a man in love.
And his treatment of the heroine was just amazing. No grovelling, no “punishment” for that huge a lie! I’d demand a 50 page grovel if a hero did THAT! But not forgiving the heroine has never even occurred to him. He didn’t have to bring in fake elements of BDSM like pseudo alphas to soothe his ego. His concern was not losing her. It was way too simple for him, if I can’t look past this then what is my love good for? Also I think he even blamed himself to a degree that what good is his love if she had felt she couldn’t tell him the truth!
Now I don’t know about you or it might be a guy thing, but who has ever been aroused from a photo here? Or had an orgasm?
Now the photo below? HOOOOOOOT, yes! Do I want Mycroft to take the sheet off? Hell Yes! Orgasmic? Sadly, no!
-
Update:
It was exactly as good the second time around. Thank you, Leila, for reminding me of this gem.
Was it the best epistolary military story? No.
Was it super sweet and hot as all hell? Yes!
And maybe it was insta-everything and the romance happened too fast, but it felt so freaking honest, I loved every minute.
---
Orinigal review from February 2020.
A wonderful mix of sweet and dirty. I love the stories with written letters and this one did not disappoint. Stark managed to pack so much feeling in such a short story, I really couldn't get enough.
Will be rereading this one for sure. -
3.5 stars
Hot, short and and an entertaining read. The hero made the book for me - LOVED him!! Heroine, not so much. Smart, BBW that doesn't see herself as good looking. She doesn't think that she would attract a good looking man because she does not fit her interpretation of what a man would find beautiful/attractive. Drove me crazy! Hero was pretty darn perfect, and boy, was he a good dirty talker :)
Safety -
How did I miss that this was a novella? Or maybe I knew but forgot?
Anyway had I known/remembered I'd have read this sooner but whateves.
I love books with letters and emails and texts and well you get the idea. So admittedly I was very excited to read this. Unfortunately it didn't live up.
Too fast paced but then what else would you expect from a novella?
Too much smut?
Yes it's a thing especially when you were really looking forward to the letters aspect of the book.
Also very far-fetched and something. . . I mean for God's sake he was turned on by her handwriting! I mean wtf man?
I'm getting the heebee geebies here.
Maybe you're not and you thought it romantic instead but that's your opinion and this is mine and we're all entitled to ours.
It's not a bad book by a long shot and I did have a good time reading it. Especially since I was supposed to be studying and this was super short and just enough to clear and relax my mind. xD -
DNF
Ugh this sounded so good, but this romance was too fast. I needed more build-up to them falling for each other. Dude literally got a hard-on after he sees the girl's handwriting. I don't have a penis, but who the fuck gets a hard-on from pretty handwriting?????
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Spoilers ahead, 3.5*
A little bit unbelievable but the definition of the romantic fantasy. He was captivated by her handwriting and knew she was it for him.
H wasn't a manwhore and had been celibate a while
h wasn't a virgin but no details
She pushed away because of a lack of confidence due to her weight
All in all I enjoyed it for what it was -
4.5 Stars.
Ah, I really did fall in love with this book, but maybe it's just because of how much I adored Roux.
After finding a letter on his cot while on tour, Roux is introduced to the sweet and caring Abby. She catches his heart from the first letter and from there a beautiful sweet love story begins. Roux was all you could want in a hero, he was sweet, all alpha and a total sweet talker when it came to Abby.
A bit of unnecessary drama but other than that it was such a good read! If you want a bit of insta-love then check out this book. -
Was going to read and started so good until she did that childish ish with the picture and then kept running I didn't continue because she came across immature and this was added to me just to create drama when it could have just been a great get to know you fall in love story.
-
✩ 𝗮 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙢 𝟮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 ✩
he got a hard on from reading a letter the heroine had written him.
let me rephrase that.
he got an erection from SEEING the handwriting in a letter the heroine had written him. -
There need to be more male leads with Cajun accents. That is all.
-
What can I say? I just needed something quick and easy to read before bed and this nailed it. Cute and sweet and a little bit spicy.
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“You apologized twice in your letter.
Never apologize for anything again.
Not to me.
And definitely not for being you.”
Written on His Skin es la novella debut de Simone Stark y creo que ha hecho un buen trabajo. Es una obra con una historia sencilla y rápida de leer, quizás no es la más original, pero logra entretener. Además, es muy dulce y hasta un poco conmovedora.
Por otro lado, los personajes son muy simpáticos. Abby y Roux son casi polos opuestos. Ella es tímida, reservada e insegura mientras él es directo y muy seguro de sí mismo. A pesar de sus personalidades opuestas, ambos tienen un buen corazón, son leales, cariñosos y protectores y tienen una química fabulosa cuando están juntos. Abby tiene mascotas, una perrita y un gato, y la adoro por eso. Pude sentirme muy identificada con ella, sobre todo, con su inseguridad sobre su cuerpo o su actitud. Ella no es una heroína perfecta, de hecho, sus fallas son las que provocan el conflicto en su relación.
Por otro lado, Roux si es casi perfecto. Es un hombre maravilloso, un sobreviviente y siempre pelea por lo que quiere. Y quiere a Abby y eso es muy sexy.
En cuanto al romance, al ser una novela corta, el amor entre Abby y Roux sucede casi de inmediato, pero como la mayor parte del tiempo su comunicación es por las cartas que intercambian, tampoco se siente tan precipitado o incoherente. De hecho, es un muy tierno, sexy y enternecedor. Estaba desesperada de que estuvieran juntos y tuvieran un final feliz.
En conclusión, Written on His Skin es una novella que releería sin dudas, es una lectura rápida, sin mucho drama, con protagonistas simpáticos y un romance simplemente irresistible. -
4.5 (Give Me More Books, Simone Stark) Stars!!!!!
One of my favorite novellas EVAH!!!! Of course, I wish it was a full book, but I’ll take what I can get. I will definitely be rereading this gem again and again.
Abby starts sending anonymous letters to a soldier (*cue eye-roll). I typically don’t go for this type of story line, especially if it is weepy. But this was NOT weepy. I loved how the temperature was turned up very early on in the letters. These two quickly get to know each other, but Roux does not mess around and he gets right down to business.
Abby and Roux are adorable. And oh so sexy. Roux is a dream! He so…big. (*giggles) And the fact that Abby isn’t your skinny-minny body-type. She is curvy and Roux loves her body!!!
The letters….THE LETTERS!! I have to admit, I usually don’t like letters in a book. But these….are Hawwwt!! And then they eventually start with some sexy phone times. (*growl)
And when they finally meet in person, I was fist-pumping I was so excited. Let the sex commence!!!
There are so many facets of this book that made it amazing. This short is definitely up there with another one of my favorites, Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye.
I WANT MORE BOOKS FROM YOU, SIMONE STARK!!! Get on it!! (*wink) -
I just devoured this. Like a piece of chocolate cake. I ignored my entire family for an hour. It was glorious.
-
⭐️⭐️2 STARS⭐️⭐️
I will be forever seeking out romance books with an epistolary theme. Hence my decision to pick up this book. This novella isn't bad if you're looking for something sweet, short, steamy (the sex was pretty hot), don't mind the completely over the top lust and can suspend all disbelief. And I truly mean ALL of them.
For instance you have to be able to overlook the hero rather strange affliction, mainly being full turned on by someone's penmanship. Nuh uh. You read that right. We're talking legit hard-on for someone's handwriting. Her cursive letters made his dick hard. So much so he discards the letter at some point needing to jerk-off to thoughts of this lady he's only ever read ONCE. I mean... I wasn't expecting that and I'm a calligraphy addict. I love the craft but not THAT much.
"Her handwriting was fucking beautiful. All arcs and swoops, like nothing he'd ever seen. No measured loops. No perfunctory print. A masterpiece of script that seemed to prove she was writing honestly...
...Fucking hell. He was hard as steel, and all because of her handwriting.
So anyway, Roux decided after one letter from Abby that she was HIS. I know it's supposed to be all kind of "alpha man wants his woman" vibe but it gave me "creepy stalker" vibes instead. Like "disconnect your phone, don't give him your address and hide, Abby" vibes. Too late, Abby, though, the hero indeed shows up at her door after using his army credentials to access her phone number and address despite the heroine explicit demands to be left alone. His insta lust/love/obsession with Abby felt unhealthy rather than seductive/possesive and I needed something more to define their epistolary connection than the lame "like magic her cursive cast a spell on him and gave him an instant hard-on.". NO.
Then for me, came the fact that the hero's speaking French Cajun, it's different enough from French that it made me cringe because the author used it in a really cheesy way. The hero asks the heroine to call him "loup" (wolf) and he calls her "bébé" (baby) even going so far as to shortening it "béb". Hmmm no. Cringe cringe cringe for this French reader.
I was also expecting more angst from the heroine's insecurities and her lies to Roux but it was clear from the beginning that the focus was being given to the sex aspect rather than emotions . It's regrettable the author missed the opportunity to convey any REAL connection between two characters of an epistolary romance.
Thank you for reading my party pooper's review! ;)
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
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I picked this book up as it was recommended on one of my favourite podcasts, Fated Mates in their epistolary romances episode. And, for those of you, who like me, wasn't exactly sure what an epistolary romance was until you googled it, it means a book where the hero and heroine fall in love or the relationship develops via writing. This could be in the form of an old fashioned letter, or perhaps an email and even IMs, text messages...and sometimes a combination of all of those things. Think Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata or Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas.
But, back to Written on his Skin. This book spoke directly to my id, completely bypassing my brain and I mean this in the BEST way. Our sexy, bearded hero is in the military and falls in love with our curvy heroine when she sends him a letter. He has a very physical, primal reaction to seeing her words set forth on paper and guys....from that point I was a goner. I loved this book. It was short and it was sexy and I adored every second of it.
This is a fairly short novella that I devoured in one sitting and I feel 100% certain that I will reread again and again. I haven't seen Simone Stark release anything else since this book in 2017, but if she does I am all over it!
p.s. If you haven't listened to the Fated Mates podcast, give it a try! It is mainly focused on the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole. But, if you haven't read that series - although guys...why wouldn't you have? It's the best! - their interstitial episodes give you trope recommendations. -
This was just two weak plot points away from porn and soooo heavy on the insta-love.
Yet I enjoyed the story (what there was of it) and the characters. Since this is a debut I think I will look out for the next story and try that too. Hopefully a bit less insta-love and a bit more fleshed out story! -
4.25 - I really enjoyed this novella but would've enjoyed it more if it was longer or if there would've been a little more to the epilogue. The writing was great- excited to read whatever this author writes next.
