Butterfly Tattoo

Jan 11, 2013 Leslie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, romance

I'm actually a little speechless, because there are so many reasons I loved this book, it's difficult to put all my crashing thoughts into one review! I must admit, I was reluctant to read this story because it's not the kind of book I would normally choose, but my GR friend, Michelle, recommended it to me - and oh my goodness, am I so grateful to her!

This is a lovely story about a man named, Michael, who has always enjoyed the companionship of women but one day unexpectantly, recognizes the bea...more I'm actually a little speechless, because there are so many reasons I loved this book, it's difficult to put all my crashing thoughts into one review! I must admit, I was reluctant to read this story because it's not the kind of book I would normally choose, but my GR friend, Michelle, recommended it to me - and oh my goodness, am I so grateful to her!

This is a lovely story about a man named, Michael, who has always enjoyed the companionship of women but one day unexpectantly, recognizes the beauty in a man named, Alex, whom Michael actually (to his surprise), falls in love with. Strangely, this love affair seems better than second nature to him - he dosen't understand it; it just fells right; and for the next 12 years, he loves Alex and Michael is completely and utterly, loved back. They adopt a beautiful daughter they name, "Andrea" and together their life is unexpectantly easy and uncomplicated. But life is never easy and uncomplicated and Alex dies on impact in a horrific car accident, with their precious daughter in the backseat - holding on for dear life. Andrea survives, thankfully, but not without severe internal scaring of having lost one of her beloved parents. A year passes and Michael still hasn't completely come to terms with Alex's death; although he meets a woman named, Rebecca that will change his and Andrea's future, remarkably. Unfortunately, Rebecca harbors her own terrible reminders of internal scarring and visible ones, from nine life-shattering knife stabbings; being butchered by a crazed stalker three years prior to meeting Michael. Not only is Rebecca left for dead...she does die - just for a moment. The unconcievable violence shakes her to her core and her internal baggage has left her emotionally unavailable to invite anyone into her world, or so she thinks. Now, Michael is falling in love with her - which is frightening to them both...

The premise of this book seemed so out of character of something I would normally read. The horrific events alone made me wonder what I was getting myself into, not to mention the hero once being in a gay relationship. Although, I am forever in search for "new and different" approaches in my romance novel endeavors and I am so elated I took the advice to read this beautifully written book. The writing was seemless and graceful with an exquisite flow about it that kept me turning the pages to the next "Michael" or "Rebecca" named chapter. Thus, enhancing the reader's ability to sneak in and witness the heart-pounding thoughts of each character - from the impossible love they formed to the tragic reveal of so many dark secrets. I. Loved. This. Book. It will forever remain one of my most favorite reads, ever...

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May 29, 2012 Aestas Book Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Open up your heart and see where it leads you..."

Oh boy! What a beautiful, emotional book with a very unconventional love story.

This book is about love and healing. That love can be found anywhere if you let it - no boundaries, no limits. And to accept it wherever and however it comes into your life. And that no matter how bad things get, it is always possible to heal.

I smiled a lot - there were many sweet moments, I squeed once or twice, and I cried several times. The story was deeply em...more

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Feb 23, 2010 Melindeeloo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Butterfly Tattoo is a major departure from Knight's Parallel and Gods of Midnight paranormal romance series, and a departure the genres I normally read as well. Though the story is billed as a contemporary romance and it does has romantic elements, the story is not just about two people falling in love and finding an easy happily ever after. The story is just as is much about how three people all with soul deep grief for losses that occurred on 'average' days (but which had such far reaching per...more Butterfly Tattoo is a major departure from Knight's Parallel and Gods of Midnight paranormal romance series, and a departure the genres I normally read as well. Though the story is billed as a contemporary romance and it does has romantic elements, the story is not just about two people falling in love and finding an easy happily ever after. The story is just as is much about how three people all with soul deep grief for losses that occurred on 'average' days (but which had such far reaching personal repercussions for all those involved) find a way to become whole again.

This is not the book for everyone - those who find the idea of a long term committed same sex pairing uncomfortable may be put off by leading man Michael's grief over the tragic death of his life partner, Alex, and memories of kisses and touches (handled very discretely) between the two.

I really loved this story, it was emotionally complex and heart wrenching at times to watch Michael and his nine year old daughter Andrea deal with the fallout of their loss - Alex's death left a gigantic whole in their hearts and has nearly broken the remnants of their family. Michael who is unable to deal with his own grief struggles to help Andrea with her loss while feeling like he's lost his daughter in addition to his partner.

Inadvertently bringing light to the darkness that has enveloped Michael and Andrea's lives for the past year is Rebecca, who ironically meets both Michael and Andrea during a power black out at work. There is an immediate attraction between Michael and Rebecca, which causes confusion for Rebecca when she later discovers Michael is `gay' and guilt for Michael who feels as if his heart is betraying his dead partner. Andrea and Rebecca also find themselves to be kindred spirits in that they both carry physical scars, in addition to the psychological ones, Rebecca's from a stalker attack which nearly took her life and Andrea from the accident that killed her other dad.

There is so much going on in this story and Michael's apparent switch from 'batting for the guys team', which has everyone questioning whether it is real or a temporary reaction to his loss, adds a whole other dimension to what may potentially be a rebound relationship. Also in addition to Michael, Rebecca, and Andrea - who are so likable that they quickly won my heart - Knight manages to give the dead Alex a real presence in the story and there is an wonderful extended supporting cast who have helped Michael and Rebecca survive the dark times and who are firmly working to give the pair the kick they need to get past self doubts and guilt to achieve a well deserved happily ever after.

On the whole Butterfly Tattoo is evocative and well written, with just one jarring nit that gave me pause late in the story. The characters and their struggles were captivating and there were spiritual elements to the story that I am still thinking on as well. (less)

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Jun 08, 2011 Splage rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read, 3rd-party-mistress-boyfriend-girlfr, contemporary, couldn-t-put-down, emotional-made-me-cry-lump-in-thr, favorite-books, friends-to-lovers, hero-heroine-widow-er, hero-heroine-wounded-handicapped, highly-recommended-by-others, unconventional-romance, ebook

You have to go into Butterfly Tattoo with a very open mind. I almost didn’t give this book a chance because I thought it was male/male relationship- it isn’t. It is a story that makes you feel… it is not all butterflies and rainbows with an overwhelming HEA. It is about deep love, loyalty, and healing on the inside. It seems all the characters, not just the H/h, have emotional baggage by the truck loads.

First of all, I totally thought this was an erotica book because of the unconventional roman

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Dec 10, 2011 Brittany rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: feels-artificial, meh, m-f

Warning! Spoilers below!

Butterfly Tattoo didn't measure up to my expectations. I really wanted to love this book, but instead I ended up disappointed with it. I wouldn't say it's poorly written, but on the other hand I wouldn't say it was anything special either.

General complaints:

The author didn't take any real chances. Grief is such a complex subject- the author barely scratched the surface exploring it. I kept wishing she would humanize her wounded characters, but it never really happened. T...more

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May 21, 2010 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, favorites

This book is really not at all what I'd expected it to be. It wasn't a romance novel so much as it was a love story. It explores the reality that love is complex, intricate and often doesn't fit within expected or conventional parameters. Sometimes love happens when you least expect it, with the person you'd least expect. Love is not all libido, love is from the heart and from the soul. Sometimes the heart and soul that compliments your own comes wrapped in an unexpected form. Love can be cerebr...more

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May 13, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was truly a moving and beautiful story! I am unsure as to what I expected when I started reading Butterfly Tattoo, but it ended up being so much more than I was bargaining for.

This book is classified as a “romance”; however, it goes beyond this genre and truly deals with hard and pressing issues. Butterfly Tattoo is a book about loss. Michael, our main hero, is dealing with the loss of his partner and the loss of a relationship with his daughter. Rebecca, the main heroine, is struggling wit...more This was truly a moving and beautiful story! I am unsure as to what I expected when I started reading Butterfly Tattoo, but it ended up being so much more than I was bargaining for.

This book is classified as a “romance”; however, it goes beyond this genre and truly deals with hard and pressing issues. Butterfly Tattoo is a book about loss. Michael, our main hero, is dealing with the loss of his partner and the loss of a relationship with his daughter. Rebecca, the main heroine, is struggling with all that she lost because of a violent attack. Then we have Andrea, Michael’s daughter, who is emotionally withdrawn and besieged with the fact that her “daddy” is no longer with her. Why did he not survive and she did? Despite the structure of the novel, the central love story between Michael and Rebecca took a back seat to the character's personal journeys with loss and grief. Both Michael and Rebecca come with a complex past and are coping with emotional traumas stemming from violence. Their experiences have caused them to turn inward. Deidre Knight has created a wonderfully complex novel. She takes us on a journey where two people begin to test the waters again and commence hoping once again.

I thought I would struggle with Michael’s bisexuality, but I didn’t. This story epitomizes and reinforces that love is about the person. Michael’s first true love, the person whom he has a daughter with was a man. He loved him fiercely and his death crushed him. Then he meets Rebecca and falls in love with her. With this, Michael knows that it’s the person you fall in love with. Deidre Knight tackles this extremely well. She takes away all the artifice and jargon and simply states through the conversations and the thought processes of each character how important it is to love with unbiased freedom.

This was a truly wonderful read. Then, why the 4 star rating instead of 5? For me, the ending lacked a little. I was left wanting more… not sure what, just more. I think there was just not enough closure for me. It is such a heavy book so I would have liked to see more "happy" in the ending. I would definitely recommend this book; although, it must be read when you are looking for a book with depth. You definitely have to be in the right frame of mind to take on this read. If you are, pick this one up.
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Apr 27, 2012 Michele ~ la Smoocherina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: My gay for you/out for you crew and anyone who love a triumphant love story

Shelves: fade-to-black-sex-scenes, romantica, character-hurt-abused-raped-woman, emotionally-satisfying, features-a-good-father, gay-for-you-out-for-you, mf, couldn-t-put-it-down

4.5 Stars!

Great read! I would have given this book 5 Stars if the sex scenes had been explicit. I feel sex is a language all it's own, and after Michael having been with a man for 13 years, I was desperate to see what his first time with a woman-in a long time -would be like. It left me hungry. But I still strongly Rec this book.

I believe so much in that you love who you love and for some people, it doesn't matter if that package is a man or a woman. I thought the grief that Michael felt was so...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Christy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library

Another goodreads reviewer described this as more a love story than a romance, and I agree. This is a very emotional book with beautifully drawn characters. I really felt the grief for Alex and the hole he left in their lives while also believing in Michael's new love for Rebecca.
Between reading this and seeing Les Mis yesterday, my hankies really got a workout.

(view spoiler)...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Cherie Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a complicated but totally lovable romance! The characters have been so well writen and even though the backdrop is Hollywood they seem so real and believable. The scarred lead female character seems weak to start out but as you read through and find out what she survived you begin to realise how strong she is, she could have quite easily given up on Hollywood and ran away back to the country to hide and I don't think anyone would have blamed her at all. Then the suprise of the male lead bei...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

man oh man... this story was just something else ! It was so heart wrenching and heart warming ! it was a true battle for me, between feeling so sad and feeling so deeply proud of the characters. Such a family dynamic as well.

Michael is a father and a widow. Moving through the grief progress while raising his daughter. Rebecca is a an actress who works for a production company. Who has shunned away from acting after being attacked by a stalker, who nearly killed her and was left with scars, ins...more

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May 09, 2012 P.A. Lupton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. It was such a touching story and sweet romance.

I love the idea that Michael falls in love with the person, regardless of their sex. He doesn't like to be classified as gay since he is attracted to both men and women. He is just a man open to love. Michael and Rebecca both bring a lot of past baggage to their relationship but I enjoyed watching them grow and work through their issues. It was also a refreshing change that there is only one very brief sex scene in the w...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Saly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: single-titles, read-in-2012

This book wasn't a easy read and really put me through the emotional wringer, it's written in first person POV, alternating between Rebecca's and Michael's POV and normally in a romance I don't like first POV, but this book was about so much more than romance, it was also about grief, how to continue in life once someone you love is gone and the one's left behind don't know how to function as a family.

Rebecca had plenty of scars both physical and emotional and she hadn't dealt with what happened...more This book wasn't a easy read and really put me through the emotional wringer, it's written in first person POV, alternating between Rebecca's and Michael's POV and normally in a romance I don't like first POV, but this book was about so much more than romance, it was also about grief, how to continue in life once someone you love is gone and the one's left behind don't know how to function as a family.

Rebecca had plenty of scars both physical and emotional and she hadn't dealt with what happened three years ago completely, forgiving her stalker who tried to kill her but never letting go of the fear and blaming herself in a way. She was stabbed nine times and almost died and three years later she is no longer a famous actress, her best friend tries to protect her and her parents who moved to help her, are still in LA. In a way she is still stuck, self conscious about her scars and not dating, then Michael comes into her life and complicates things. She likes flirting with him in the dark and connects with his daughter Andrea, but she doesn't know how complicated his life is.

Andrea is not his stepdaughter, she's his daughter, who he had with his best friend and partner Alex. Michael was straight till he met Alex and fell for him, he was his soul-mate and they were together for fourteen years, when he died a year ago his life changed. His daughter who was with him in the accident, withdrew from him, calling him Michael and not daddy, he himself has been unable to function, viewing life through a tunnel, depressed and drinking. What Alex's twin sister did also added to his wounds.

Then he meets Rebecca and finds himself attracted to her, which is weird and a change for him, though Alex said Michael was bi, he feels as if he is cheating on Alex and does not want to let go off the memories, wearing his ring, his clothes. But he likes being around Rebecca, his daughter connects with her.

Rebecca is conflicted when she finds out that his partner was a man, how can he be attracted to her, since she is so damaged and her friend tells her that he may be using her as substitute for his daughter.

The romance was just so moving, you see Michael's conflicted feelings when it comes to Alex, his anger that he is gone from his life and his daughter seems to have withdrawn. Then there is his fear of losing Andrea to his birth mother, Alex's twin. With the help of Rebecca he makes his peace with Alex's twin, both of them loved the same guy.

Michael falls for Rebecca and tells her that he loves her, but there are parts of himself he keeps closed and Rebecca's insecurities of his having been in love with a guy and her scars make her wary and when Michael kind of refuses to let Alex go, he hurts Rebecca in the process and she leaves.

I liked how we see all the conflict within Michael, of loving someone new and how he does everything in his power to make up things to Rebecca. He sorts himself out and decides to tell his daughter the truth about his birth-mother and that technically Alex was her uncle. He keeps on calling her, not letting up even when she refuses to talk to him. I did feel Rebecca could have given him a break, she was hurting but it could have stopped sooner if she had talked to him sooner.

All in all this book was really emotional and pulled me in. Read it when you are in the mood for a book with depth.(less)

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Jan 18, 2012 KatiD rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-review-ish

Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Night. A friend of mine recommended this beautifully written story to me. It's the story of two battered and broken people who find love. Michael is a widower. His partner Alex was killed after being hit by a drunk driver. Also injured in the accident was their seven year old daughter, Andrea. Now Michael is alone, trying to raise his daughter, and completely adrift with what to do. Rebecca O'Neill is a former child actress who now works for a production company biddin...more Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Night. A friend of mine recommended this beautifully written story to me. It's the story of two battered and broken people who find love. Michael is a widower. His partner Alex was killed after being hit by a drunk driver. Also injured in the accident was their seven year old daughter, Andrea. Now Michael is alone, trying to raise his daughter, and completely adrift with what to do. Rebecca O'Neill is a former child actress who now works for a production company bidding on scripts for the company to produce. She quit acting after being brutally attacked by a rabid fan who believe she was his girlfriend. She was stabbed nine times and was terribly scarred in the attack, including her face. She spent over a month in ICU recovering from her wounds, but the attack has left her not just scarred physically, but the victim of anxiety attacks and paranoia. She meets Michael, an electrician, when the power is out in her office. Since the office is shadowed, they engage in a very mild flirtation, and she ends up taking Andrea out for a quick bite. Andrea realizes that she and Rebecca have something in common, scars that are healed physically but not emotionally. They begin a connection that the young girl has never had with anyone. What begins for Michael as a way for someone to connect with his troubled and distant little girl becomes an attraction between two adults damaged by life and trying to find their way. The book is written from the perspective of both characters, alternating by chapter between viewpoints. It is a deeply emotional tale, and one that the author never, ever pulls any punches on. At first I was unsure, if Michael was in a gay relationship, how would it work for him to be with a woman? Would it be credible? I found it to be completely credible. Ms. Knight handled the story with a delicacy and believability that had me flipping pages as fast as I possibly could. I also have to give HUGE kudos to Angela James with Samhain, this book is definitely outside the norm of what we read in romance, and was probably slightly chancy, but it is just a truly lovely romance. I'm so glad I had a chance to read it. It will easily go into my top 10 favorite books I've read this year. Final grade: A.(less)

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Jul 11, 2011 Bookwormgirl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

This was a very emotional book. I caught myself sniffing and wiping my eyes dry of tears a few times. This is on my Romance shelf, but it was really a story about grief and passing through grief to live on and become happy again.

The narrative voice switches between Rebecca and Michael. It is an interesting device and works for this novel. Both characters are dealing with loss. Michael is dealing with the loss of Alex, his partner of 12 years and co-parent of their daughter. Rebecca is dealing wi...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: grief-with-contemporary-romance

The primary story is grieving over death of a loved one. It was too sad for me. At times I wanted it to be over.

STORY BRIEF:
Michael had girlfriends in his youth. Then he fell in love with Alex, a man. They were married for ten years when Alex was killed by a drunk driver. They used a surrogate mother to give them a daughter Andrea. She was in the car when Alex died. She was 7. She survived the accident but has a scar on her leg. Andrea and Michael have been grieving for a year when they meet Reb...more

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Jul 10, 2010 Marisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-romance, contemporary-romance

There are some books you just have to read from beginning to end with out pause. This is the case with Deidre Knight’s Butterfly Tattoo, a contemporary romance that has you settling in and reading for the long haul. Touching all the right chords, this is the story of love lost, love found and finding love with in. It’s about the scars you can see and the ones that are hidden, the ones that reside deep in your soul and cause a heart to be broken.
Ms. Knight’s lyrical dialogue and ability to write...more There are some books you just have to read from beginning to end with out pause. This is the case with Deidre Knight’s Butterfly Tattoo, a contemporary romance that has you settling in and reading for the long haul. Touching all the right chords, this is the story of love lost, love found and finding love with in. It’s about the scars you can see and the ones that are hidden, the ones that reside deep in your soul and cause a heart to be broken.
Ms. Knight’s lyrical dialogue and ability to write cleanly what the heart wishes to express is magic, and her story about a man, a woman and a child finding each other after individual tragedy is telling of her talent.

What do you do when you’ve lost the love of your life? How do you cope when your partner, your co-parent, the person you thought you would spend eternity with dies? How do you get past a heart ache so big you thought that just putting one foot in front of the other was all you had energy for? Michael asks himself those questions every day since his life partner Alex died leaving him to raise their only daughter Andrea. When he meets Rebecca he begins to hope that perhaps his life could be about more than survival.
Rebecca has similar hopes. Having been brutally attacked, left for dead and terribly scarred for life, she has no illusions about love. But then she meets Michael. Together they begin to test the waters and to begin to hope again.

This story epitomizes and reinforces that love is about the person – not their color, creed, political affiliation or sexual orientation. Michael’s first true love, the person whom he has a daughter with was a man. He loved him with a great passion. His death crushed him. Meeting Rebecca and falling in love with her, he knows what he has always known – that it’s the person you fall in love with. And taking the journey with both Michael and Rebecca you understand this very clearly.

Ms. Knight takes away all the artifice and jargon and simply states through the conversations and thought processes of each character how important it is to love with unbiased freedom. Each chapter is written from a character’s point of view. And she does this seamlessly. She has a lyrical style that allows you to understand each characters thoughts and struggles; the dialogue flows and ebbs and you ride the wave.

I cried a lot while reading this book. The sadness and tragedy Rebecca, Michael and Andrea overcome is touching. She uses a deft pen to bring a myriad of emotions to the reader and compels you to love them. Ms. Knight’s thoughtful and understated approach will entice and enchant you and make you think; and most of all, fall in love with her book.(less)

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Mar 19, 2010 Alta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This isn't my usual reading material, but I won it and wanted to read it, especially after the excitement of it winning an Eppie award.

I gave the book five stars for a few reasons, one being that it held my attention, even though there were no vampires, shifters, monsters, or beasties, other than an at times grumpy main character.

Another reason for five stars: The story sucked me in, and even though it wasn't the fast pace I'm used to, it was hard to put it down. I wanted that happily ever after...more

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Nov 22, 2009 Amanda Westmont rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recommended

I finished this book last night and I still can't stop thinking about it. I'm pretty sure I'll be thinking about it for YEARS. It's that memorable. That WIDE.

It was the first book I've ever read that stuck its pick into the soil of the romance genre and then tilled the fuck out of it. In a good way.

(I don't normally plot summarize on Goodreads, but this is a romance novel about a former actress who falls in love with a man named Michael, the desperate, loving father of a scarred 8-year-old girl...more

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Jul 23, 2009 notyourmonkey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-read, romance, kindle

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is a reluctant three stars, but overall this book is quite good, and the characters are compelling. It's just that the author made a few choices in the last quarter of the book that sent me from gleeful enthrallment to fiery hatred, throw the book across the room rage.

If you're unfamiliar with the plot, it's your classic formerlyfamousbutnowhorriblyscarredbytragicstalkerincident!actress falling in love with hunkybisexualandrecoveringfromthelossofhis(male)partneroftwelveyearsinacaraccidenta...more

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Apr 30, 2009 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

I wish I could give half stars, because this would be a 4.5. I almost gave it a 5, but it's not a perfect novel. I seriously loved this book, though. Knight is, for sure, a talented writer. She did two things that amazed me: 1) Michael's grief is so well drawn that it's palpable, and I found myself crying through a few of his chapters (and again at the end of the book, because I am a sucker) and I hardly ever cry at books. 2) Michael and Rebecca swap being the narrator and, mostly, they have dis...more

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Apr 30, 2009 Katie(babs) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-want-to-have-babies-with-the-book

Deidre Knight has broken boundaries and has shown perfectly why falling in love is something so powerful and it doesn’t matter who that person may be. Michael, the hero of this tale explains perfectly his love for his dead lover who was so cruelly taken away from him. Michael doesn’t think of himself as gay or straight. If he has to put a label on his sexual preference, it would be bisexual. His love for Alex, his husband and partner was a perfect love and something only most of us could dream o...more Deidre Knight has broken boundaries and has shown perfectly why falling in love is something so powerful and it doesn’t matter who that person may be. Michael, the hero of this tale explains perfectly his love for his dead lover who was so cruelly taken away from him. Michael doesn’t think of himself as gay or straight. If he has to put a label on his sexual preference, it would be bisexual. His love for Alex, his husband and partner was a perfect love and something only most of us could dream of. The newfound love he has for former actress, Rebecca O’Neill is something very different from what he had with Alex. Rebecca is confused with Michael because she just can’t believe that Michael, after years of being with a man would turn his back on the lifestyle he had with Alex to be with her. If I were in Rebecca’s shoes I would have the same reservations. These questions and doubts are the two important things that both Michael and Rebecca must come to terms with.

Michael Warner is an electrician who works at a Hollywood studio. He is a widower with a eight-year-old daughter. Michael’s husband and partner Alex, was a doctor who died in a car accident a year ago. Their daughter Andrea was in the car with Alex and survived. Andrea is a bright but sullen little girl who misses her daddy. Andrea no longer calls Michael “daddy”, but by his first name and that tears him apart inside. He can’t seem to reach Andrea even though he tries everything he can. Michael and Andrea’s healing progress is a very slow one. Michael feels he has lost his daughter’s love the day she was in that accident. He is alone and scared.

Rebecca O’Neil was a former popular television sitcom actress whose life was taken away from her the moment a stalker fan stabbed her multiple times and left her for dead. Her scars are both visible and hidden. One side of her face has scars from the knife that also includes the ones over her torso, body and the ones on the palm of one of her hands. This is not counting the health problems and emotional and mental ones Rebecca must deal with on a daily basis. She is still involved in the industry and works in the development office reading scripts and finding the next big movie blockbuster. Rebecca is enclosed in her small protective bubble surrounded by supportive friends and work associates. I can’t help but compare Rebecca to that of a caterpillar in a cocoon who is ready to break out and become the butterfly she longs to be. Those around her such as her good friend Trevor wants her to start living life again. She is so young and even with the trauma of her past and the loss of her innocence at the hands of deranged fan, she still has so much to look forward to. And it looks like a higher being may be watching Rebecca because she is sent Michael.

Rebecca finds Michael to be very attractive. She doesn’t find him threatening because as he is fixing a fuse in her office, his daughter Andrea is there. Andre and Rebecca hit it off pretty well. Andrea finds a bosom buddy in Rebecca because of her own scars. Andrea has some scarring from the accident and because Rebecca has them also, she thinks Rebecca will understand because Michael can’t. Because Rebecca starts a tender relationship with Andrea, Michael and Rebecca form one. Both may find one another attractive but neither is in the right frame of mind to be anything more than friends. Rebecca sees the ring on Michael’s finger and comes to the conclusion he is married and even when she finds out he is a widower, she again assumes he lost his wife. Rebecca is in for a shock when Michael invites her over for dinner and sees the pictures of his family. Michael admits he is still getting over Alex’s death and Rebecca decides she will become his friend and help him deal with Andrea’s moods.

These two unlikely people embark on a new journey together. Michael finds something special in Rebecca, much like he had with Alex. Rebecca and he click so well and Michael really wants to move on and be with Rebecca in a way a man wants to be when they are attracted to a woman. But this is not easy. First of all Alex is all around Michael and the thought of forgetting Alex and moving on to someone else to love is selfish in Michael’s eyes. How can he move on when what he and Alex had was so special? How will his friends and family react when he tells them that the one he now wants to be with is a woman? Rebecca loves being with Michael and she is happy to be dating even if it is with a man who is also attracted to men. Rebecca has some major issues to work through herself. She wonders if Michael is only with her because he is lonely and needs someone to warm his bed at night. And how can a man who was once intimate with another man want to be that way with a woman? These questions raised makes things even more confusing and upsetting. Michael is at a loss because he doesn’t know how to handle them.

Life is full of complications and Deidre Knight shows this so well in Butterfly Tattoo. The title is about those tattoos a person has whether it is a literal one much like the butterfly tattoo Michael has on his back that longs to be kissed by a set of lips or the scars that both Rebecca and Andrea have. The scars on Andre and Rebecca’s bodies can’t be erased. They are forever lasting. The memory of a loved one is a tattoo on someone’s heart and in Michael’s case, Alex is deep within his soul. He is willing to make room for Rebecca alongside his love for Alex. Rebecca has to make the decision and take a chance that Michael’s love for her is very real.

Love is such a powerful emotion. Deidre shows this with a love and parent will have for a child as well as their mate. It is the glue that holds a relationship together. It is forgiveness and want and the hope that there will be someone in this big world who will understand your longings and be there to help you navigate those ups and downs. I loved how Deidre shows the balance of what Michael had with Alex and what he now has with Rebecca. Michael needs a connection with someone. Even as he is on that surfboard alone in the ocean, which seems to be a very solitary exercise, he longs for those he cares about to be beside him catching that perfect wave.

There is one line that is so perfect in it’s telling that really stuck with me. This is where Michael admits to Rebecca that he wants to make love to her so desperately and it all comes down to this:

“…instead of fighting everything so much, you could just open your heart and see where it leads you.”

Poignant and heartbreaking, Butterfly Tattoo is all about opening your heart and loving that person who just clicks with you.(less)

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Nov 08, 2011 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

I really loved the basic premise here, that love is love, no matter in what form it comes. Both hero and heroine have some serious emotional damage that they have to sort out in order to find their HEA. And while I'm not always a fan of kids in romances, Andrea was a wonderful, well-written character.

My only real annoyance, which kept this from being a five-star read, was (minor SPOILERS) that it was the heroine's emotional insecurities that caused the rift between the h/h at the end. It just al...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Tamara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a very different book. It deals with alternative lifestyles and is very dark in places. I cried like I was watching a lifetime movie of the week, But, the message behind the story, that love exists in many forms and when you find it grab hold and hang on, because it's all that really matters in life, comes through loud and clear. Bring you hankies, but definitely read this book.

My only criticism, it is written in 1st person and switched from Michael to Rebecca's perspective each chapter...more

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Feb 22, 2010 Liz B rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklit, contemporaryrealisticfiction, ebook

2.5 stars

It took me a really, really long time to read this book. The characterization was wonderful and the conflicts that kept the main characters apart were believable. I just never really believed the attraction between the two of them. I feel this is much more chick lit than romance, in spite of the HEA, and my shelving reflects that.

Premise: Rebecca was a famous actress who was brutally attacked by a stalker. She survived but her face is scarred. Michael's partner, Alex, was killed in a ca...more

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May 07, 2012 t'irla ~The BookSlayer~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, misc-romance, owned, 5-star-read

What an incredibly sweet story! Loved it.

Description:

Just when the darkness seems permanent, fate flips a switch. Michael Warner has been drifting in a numb haze since his lover was killed by a drunk driver. As the anniversary of the wreck approaches, Michael's grief grows more suffocating. Yet he must find a way through the maze of pain and secrets to live for their troubled young daughter who struggles with guilt that she survived the crash. Out of the darkness comes a voice, a lifeline he ne...more What an incredibly sweet story! Loved it.

Description:

Just when the darkness seems permanent, fate flips a switch. Michael Warner has been drifting in a numb haze since his lover was killed by a drunk driver. As the anniversary of the wreck approaches, Michael's grief grows more suffocating. Yet he must find a way through the maze of pain and secrets to live for their troubled young daughter who struggles with guilt that she survived the crash. Out of the darkness comes a voice, a lifeline he never expected to find-Rebecca O'Neill, a development executive in the studio where Michael works as an electrician. Rebecca, a former sitcom celebrity left scarred from a crazed fan's attack, has retreated from the limelight and from life in general, certain no man can ever get past her disfigurement. The instant sparks between her and Michael, who arrives to help her during a power outage, come as a complete surprise-and so does her uncanny bond with his daughter. For the first time, all three feel compelled to examine their inner and outer scars in the light of love. But trust is hard to come by, especially when you're not sure what to believe when you look in the mirror. The scars? Or the truth? Warning: This title contains a three-hankie redemptive romance, a man with a complicated past, a heroine who's stronger than she knows, and tender, explicit sex scenes that may just break your heart-and make you believe in love once again.

My Thoughts:

Wow, what a beautifully written book. An emotional wringer, at times uncomfortable but always good. Ms Knights tells her story through both MC's view point using alternating chapters to switch POV. This refreshingly different book takes us through the impossible love story of two broken people and a broken little girl. The characters are well rounded and easy to connect with and empathize. The supporting characters were not as rounded but some like Casey brought out strong feelings. Now you maybe looking for steamy sex scenes but you are not going to get it in this but you will get an unconventional true love story. When the book started I thought it was going to me a m/m story but no..it is a story about love having no boundaries, your heart finds what it needs. I finished the book last night but it is so clear in my mind and I am still thinking about aspects of it. The book is not so much a romance as it is a slow building love story that overcomes convention, pigeon holing, expectation and explores different kinds of love and the "fixing" of all those involved. I will be putting this on my favorite shelf...a deeply moving story.

5 golden stars for this excellent book and I encourage anyone who loves a emotional love story, a HEA with unusual pitfalls along the way. Files book beside A Modern Love story and Beautiful Disaster. (less)

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Dec 06, 2012 Lorie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Unlike Anything You Will Ever Read

I loved this book so much that there are not enough words in the English language to truly describe it ………

It’s unconventional, beautiful, unique, exceptional, touching, wonderful, emotional, thoughtful, moving, unexpected, smart, sweet, romantic, complicated, very real, and……

ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!!!

This book is exceptionally written – the characters are amazing and the writing itself is remarkable. The story is told from alternating POVs of the two main character...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Kim Person rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a beautiful, endearing and sad story. Michael lost the love of his life, his soul mate, a year ago in a car accident that injured their daughter, Andrea. Andrea is deeply troubled and the emotional trauma as well as the physical trauma she sustained in the accident has closed her off to Michael - she is not the loving, happy little girl she was when Allie was alive.

Rebecca is a former TV sitcom star with her own emotional trauma. She also has physical trauma that has caused her to close he...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Shannel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: heartstrings, smut-monday-esqe

This week’s Smut Monday is going to be a little different. Different as it’s not overly smutty but good lord did it tear at my heart.

Michael Warner lost his partner in a drunk driving accident and in that same accident, he nearly lost their 8-year-old daughter, Andrea.

In dealing with their loss, their relationship has become strained and neither of them knows how to carry on.

Rebecca O’neill knows what it’s like to lose a part of yourself.
Living in Los Angeles, she was a popular actress until a...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Tesa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

There are so many things that are remarkable about this book that it's difficult to pick which ones to mention, so I'll talk about what made the biggest impression on me: the tremendous, tremendous heart of Michael Warner. You always hear about characters who "follow their heart" and "risk all for love," and that can sound hackneyed and trite until there's a character who really shows what that should mean, and the kind of vulnerability and bravery it requires. In this book, Michael and Rebecca...more

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