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Geek Ink #1-4
Geek Ink Box Set
All four bestselling Geek Ink books together in one box set—the complete M/M romance series featuring geeks and bad boys!
Geek Tattoo
Stone is straight. That’s the first reason the brooding tattoo artist can’t be the one for geeky animator Matty. But when the two men enter into a fake relationship, cuddling up close starts to feel far, far too real.
Crave Me
Dedicated botanist Milo is a babbling sweetheart. Tattoos are not his style, but when his friends convince him to get some ink, he ends up in the chair of Joey, a silent, troubled artist. In the quiet drone of the shop, desire bubbles beneath the surface until a fateful blizzard blows through town, and their surprising connection ignites into something neither man expected.
Just a Kiss
Alexander has always been secretly in love with his best friend and roommate Rafael, who remains blissfully oblivious. When Rafael starts an apprenticeship at the tattoo shop, his confidence grows, and Alexander’s pining spikes. Rafael doesn’t do relationships, and Alexander doesn’t do casual. But that’s no reason to turn down the friends-with-benefits arrangement that Rafael proposes, right?
Gruff Touch
Drew comes to town seeking to learn more about the father he’s never met, and grumpy tattoo artist Caesar is his only lead. Caesar pushes the bright young man away. He doesn’t want to revisit his past, and especially not with a stranger half his age. But something deep inside Drew insists that Caesar should be his, if only he can get the old grump to see it, too.
Four linked, full-length novels with low angst, high steam, and opposites-attract fun! Enjoy!
Geek Tattoo
Stone is straight. That’s the first reason the brooding tattoo artist can’t be the one for geeky animator Matty. But when the two men enter into a fake relationship, cuddling up close starts to feel far, far too real.
Crave Me
Dedicated botanist Milo is a babbling sweetheart. Tattoos are not his style, but when his friends convince him to get some ink, he ends up in the chair of Joey, a silent, troubled artist. In the quiet drone of the shop, desire bubbles beneath the surface until a fateful blizzard blows through town, and their surprising connection ignites into something neither man expected.
Just a Kiss
Alexander has always been secretly in love with his best friend and roommate Rafael, who remains blissfully oblivious. When Rafael starts an apprenticeship at the tattoo shop, his confidence grows, and Alexander’s pining spikes. Rafael doesn’t do relationships, and Alexander doesn’t do casual. But that’s no reason to turn down the friends-with-benefits arrangement that Rafael proposes, right?
Gruff Touch
Drew comes to town seeking to learn more about the father he’s never met, and grumpy tattoo artist Caesar is his only lead. Caesar pushes the bright young man away. He doesn’t want to revisit his past, and especially not with a stranger half his age. But something deep inside Drew insists that Caesar should be his, if only he can get the old grump to see it, too.
Four linked, full-length novels with low angst, high steam, and opposites-attract fun! Enjoy!
- GenresM M RomanceContemporary
808 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2022
16 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
R. Cayden
38 books305 followersR. Cayden writes steamy M/M romance and sweet, easy reads.
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You can also send along an email. I love hearing from readers, and knowing what you think of the stories!
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Thanks for reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 15, 2022
I am going to break this up into books for my review - it seems easier that way. I also reviewed these individually.
Geek Tattoo (Geek Ink, #1)
So in this one we have Matty, a gay bubbly person who is a stop motion animator and Stone, a mostly straight man who is a tattoo artist. Stone cannot stand to let anyone be harmed and that has made his life so much harder.
These two meet and decided to fake date, as there is this horrible dude at the tattoo shop that is homophobic so Stone had told him he was gay.
Yall know what happens, Stone falls for Matty and decides he is not as straight as he thought. At first, Matty was using Stone to make his ex boyfriend jealous, but falls for Stone. There are some bad things that happen to Stone and Matty decides that he cant handle that and tries to freeze Stone out. Stone is so sad that he agrees with this and wants to still be friends with Matty and help him with his animation work.
After some deep thoughts and his friends telling him that this was stupid, Matty goes all in with Stone and they are able to get the bad dude out of the shop and go off into the sunset.
The funniest part of this for me was that Matty describes Stone's scent as dirt and ink multiple times. Was he saying that Stone smelt dirty? Cause that was a weird thing to see in a romance book.
Crave Me (Geek Ink #2)
Ok, so in book 2 of geeks hooking up with tattoo artists, we have Milo. You might remember him from the first book, he was the ex that Matty was trying to make jealous. Milo is a geek of course, of the phd in flowers kind, and is actually not described as white, but I do not remember if it was actually mentioned outside of the light brown skin. He meets Joey, a new artist in the same place Stone was from. Joey has a dark backstory and is the one who will be giving Milo his first tattoo.
Now Joey is running away from his father, who is in the mob, because he did not want to be a part of the criminal enterprise. Also, the dad was a homophobe.
While this one had more romance in it, the mob story was so not done as well as it could have. Or maybe it could have been left out. At the end, a mere threat to release a photo was enough to get Joey out for good.
And the weird scents continue in this one, Joey was described as smelling like incense and campfire. At least that is better than dirt.
Just a Kiss (Geek Ink #3)
In this episode of geeks who love tattoo artists, we have a best friends to lovers trope. Alexander and Rafael have been best friends for years. They live together, sleep together, take care of each other, kiss each other (cause that's what just friends do, right?) and basically do everything together but have sex.
Rafael is an artist and totally not able to live on his own. He has trouble remembering things, he is always late, cannot sell his art, and has no money. And I am going to be honest, I did not like him all that much. He declared years ago that he would never be in a relationship again, but was practically married to Alexander and still hooked up with other men constantly for sex. It hurt Alexander very much and Rafael never noticed. Rafael decides to become a tattoo artist because Matty told him it would be a great thing to do. I had many doubts because this man was always late, did not pay attention to details, and I would not want him to actually be near a needle.
Alexander was a librarian who specialized in gay and lesbian history. He loved doing stuff for other people, especially Rafael. This man did everything for him and literally only got dinner cooked for him. That is about it. He kept saying that Raphael was his best friend and they loved each other, but I just didn't see it. Alexander had very limited sexual experience because he has loved Raphael for years and years. He had a love interest show up and tells Rafael that he can't go out with him cause of this, so Rafael decides to help him practice sex stuff and their path to romance has begun.
(I have no idea what any of these people look like other than occasionally a dark skin mention will pop up. Does that mean that they are POC? Does it mean that they have tans due to it being summer? Who knows)
Sexytimes begin and wouldn't you know it, Alexander is not bad at sex at all once he relaxes. But of course he is love with Rafael so all this is great in his mind. Rafael on the other hand, is starting to have feelings for the first time for Alexander. And you might have noticed that I am typing out full names and that is because no one ever uses a nickname. Even the parents and friends. It's always this way.
So Alexander meets up with the guy who was interested in him just to tell him that he couldn't see him and Rafael has a breakdown. This causes Alexander to tell him that he loves him and Rafael admits the same. Then is shocked that Alexander has loved him this whole time.
After the confession, they decide to have a get together with all the friends to announce their relationship. That day Rafael forgot to bring his notebooks to show the boss of the tattoo shop and is all pissy with Alexander. Then when he is told that Alexander took care of getting his pictures stored from the art gallery that he had been forgetting about, he blows up on Alexander.
This was near the end and I was so hoping that Alexander would just walk away but no, he does what he always does, calms and makes sure that Rafael is ok no matter how he is being treated. This interaction with the boss was enough to make Rafael change, which I found funny because nothing Alexander did helped, and Rafael starts to get better at life.
The scent of the tattooist is in this one as well, it was spicy and oaky which is way better than the dirt and ink, incense and campfire smells of the previous books.
Gruff Touch (Geek Ink #4)
Ah it's the end of the Geek Ink series and I am kind of sad. This one was the best out of all 4 of them, but it really had nothing to do with the first 3 books as they were not friends with that group.
In this one we have Caesar, who you might remember as the one who owns the tattoo shop that has starred in all 4 stories. He is older, set in his ways, grumpy, and not in search of a partner. He is aloof to the people who work for him but has a tight knit group of older friends/artists that he is close to.
Drew was in search of the father he did not know about until after his mother's death. See he dropped out of college when his mother got ill and took care of her and everything else for years. He did not do much living, but he loved putting back together pinball machines. When he found out that his father had died years earlier, he tracked down Caesar to find out more about his father. What he didn't know was that Caesar and his father were lovers and his father dumped Caesar like he had dumped his mother.
Things happen and these two fall for each other. It was not easy for Caesar, but thankfully Drew was able to see the real man underneath all that.
The scent for Caesar in this one was smoky. So much better than dirt.
I got this one from GRR
Geek Tattoo (Geek Ink, #1)
So in this one we have Matty, a gay bubbly person who is a stop motion animator and Stone, a mostly straight man who is a tattoo artist. Stone cannot stand to let anyone be harmed and that has made his life so much harder.
These two meet and decided to fake date, as there is this horrible dude at the tattoo shop that is homophobic so Stone had told him he was gay.
Yall know what happens, Stone falls for Matty and decides he is not as straight as he thought. At first, Matty was using Stone to make his ex boyfriend jealous, but falls for Stone. There are some bad things that happen to Stone and Matty decides that he cant handle that and tries to freeze Stone out. Stone is so sad that he agrees with this and wants to still be friends with Matty and help him with his animation work.
After some deep thoughts and his friends telling him that this was stupid, Matty goes all in with Stone and they are able to get the bad dude out of the shop and go off into the sunset.
The funniest part of this for me was that Matty describes Stone's scent as dirt and ink multiple times. Was he saying that Stone smelt dirty? Cause that was a weird thing to see in a romance book.
Crave Me (Geek Ink #2)
Ok, so in book 2 of geeks hooking up with tattoo artists, we have Milo. You might remember him from the first book, he was the ex that Matty was trying to make jealous. Milo is a geek of course, of the phd in flowers kind, and is actually not described as white, but I do not remember if it was actually mentioned outside of the light brown skin. He meets Joey, a new artist in the same place Stone was from. Joey has a dark backstory and is the one who will be giving Milo his first tattoo.
Now Joey is running away from his father, who is in the mob, because he did not want to be a part of the criminal enterprise. Also, the dad was a homophobe.
While this one had more romance in it, the mob story was so not done as well as it could have. Or maybe it could have been left out. At the end, a mere threat to release a photo was enough to get Joey out for good.
And the weird scents continue in this one, Joey was described as smelling like incense and campfire. At least that is better than dirt.
Just a Kiss (Geek Ink #3)
In this episode of geeks who love tattoo artists, we have a best friends to lovers trope. Alexander and Rafael have been best friends for years. They live together, sleep together, take care of each other, kiss each other (cause that's what just friends do, right?) and basically do everything together but have sex.
Rafael is an artist and totally not able to live on his own. He has trouble remembering things, he is always late, cannot sell his art, and has no money. And I am going to be honest, I did not like him all that much. He declared years ago that he would never be in a relationship again, but was practically married to Alexander and still hooked up with other men constantly for sex. It hurt Alexander very much and Rafael never noticed. Rafael decides to become a tattoo artist because Matty told him it would be a great thing to do. I had many doubts because this man was always late, did not pay attention to details, and I would not want him to actually be near a needle.
Alexander was a librarian who specialized in gay and lesbian history. He loved doing stuff for other people, especially Rafael. This man did everything for him and literally only got dinner cooked for him. That is about it. He kept saying that Raphael was his best friend and they loved each other, but I just didn't see it. Alexander had very limited sexual experience because he has loved Raphael for years and years. He had a love interest show up and tells Rafael that he can't go out with him cause of this, so Rafael decides to help him practice sex stuff and their path to romance has begun.
(I have no idea what any of these people look like other than occasionally a dark skin mention will pop up. Does that mean that they are POC? Does it mean that they have tans due to it being summer? Who knows)
Sexytimes begin and wouldn't you know it, Alexander is not bad at sex at all once he relaxes. But of course he is love with Rafael so all this is great in his mind. Rafael on the other hand, is starting to have feelings for the first time for Alexander. And you might have noticed that I am typing out full names and that is because no one ever uses a nickname. Even the parents and friends. It's always this way.
So Alexander meets up with the guy who was interested in him just to tell him that he couldn't see him and Rafael has a breakdown. This causes Alexander to tell him that he loves him and Rafael admits the same. Then is shocked that Alexander has loved him this whole time.
After the confession, they decide to have a get together with all the friends to announce their relationship. That day Rafael forgot to bring his notebooks to show the boss of the tattoo shop and is all pissy with Alexander. Then when he is told that Alexander took care of getting his pictures stored from the art gallery that he had been forgetting about, he blows up on Alexander.
This was near the end and I was so hoping that Alexander would just walk away but no, he does what he always does, calms and makes sure that Rafael is ok no matter how he is being treated. This interaction with the boss was enough to make Rafael change, which I found funny because nothing Alexander did helped, and Rafael starts to get better at life.
The scent of the tattooist is in this one as well, it was spicy and oaky which is way better than the dirt and ink, incense and campfire smells of the previous books.
Gruff Touch (Geek Ink #4)
Ah it's the end of the Geek Ink series and I am kind of sad. This one was the best out of all 4 of them, but it really had nothing to do with the first 3 books as they were not friends with that group.
In this one we have Caesar, who you might remember as the one who owns the tattoo shop that has starred in all 4 stories. He is older, set in his ways, grumpy, and not in search of a partner. He is aloof to the people who work for him but has a tight knit group of older friends/artists that he is close to.
Drew was in search of the father he did not know about until after his mother's death. See he dropped out of college when his mother got ill and took care of her and everything else for years. He did not do much living, but he loved putting back together pinball machines. When he found out that his father had died years earlier, he tracked down Caesar to find out more about his father. What he didn't know was that Caesar and his father were lovers and his father dumped Caesar like he had dumped his mother.
Things happen and these two fall for each other. It was not easy for Caesar, but thankfully Drew was able to see the real man underneath all that.
The scent for Caesar in this one was smoky. So much better than dirt.
I got this one from GRR
February 25, 2024
4.5 csillag
Az első három történet remek volt, jó kis slow-burn sztorik.
Az utolsó, a sorozatot lezáró a meh, egyszerűen nulla konfliktus volt benne, mintha kifogyott volna az írói ötletláda.
Mondjuk ettől függetlenûl ajánlom, lekötött, elszórakoztatott :))
Az első három történet remek volt, jó kis slow-burn sztorik.
Az utolsó, a sorozatot lezáró a meh, egyszerűen nulla konfliktus volt benne, mintha kifogyott volna az írói ötletláda.
Mondjuk ettől függetlenûl ajánlom, lekötött, elszórakoztatott :))
August 15, 2022
An excellent collection, I loved it!
These books are awesome! The story of four couples who find themselves together despite their differences. One of each couple is a geek and the other a tattoo artist and each couples’ journey to their happily ever after is well worth reading!
Geek Tattoo - The story of Matty and Stone. Matty is a stop motion animator and Stone is an apprentice in a tattoo shop. Their first meeting will be in the park where Matty is having a memorial service for his cat with all his friends. Stone will stop by and the two will not be able to stop thinking about each other. Stone is straight but when his coworker, Jeremiah starts getting nasty about gay people, Stone puts his foot in his mouth saying he has a boyfriend. This will lead to asking Matty to pretend with him. While their relationship starts out to be fake, Matty using Stone to make his ex jealous in hopes of winning him back, the two will soon find their feelings aren’t as fake as they thought. Both have a bit of a rough past but in time, they will able to see that they can be what the other truly needs and they will get the chance to start down the path to their happily ever after with new friends and found family along for the ride.
Crave Me - Joey and Milo are up next! Milo is Matty’s ex and is coming off a break up with his most recent boyfriend Hilton. Joey is the new guy at the tattoo shop with a past of his own. They will meet when Matty convinces Milo to get a tattoo to celebrate his new beginning. Joey gets to do it. Joey tries to keep his distance but Milo will wiggle his way into Joey’s heart. It will take time but both will open up about their pasts and things are going well until Joey’s past comes to Chicago. He tries to pull away but Milo refuses to give up on him and the belief that they were meant to be together. For Milo, Joey will confront his past and wipe the slate clean so that he and Milo can move on to the future they both want.
Just A Kiss - It’s Rafael and Alexander’s turn next! Friends and roommates for years, Alexander has secretly been in love with Rafael but he doesn’t tell anyone. Rafael has given up on relationships, tired of not finding one that lasts. After his art show doesn’t go well, he decides to try tattooing. This will lead him to the shop where Stone and Joey work. Rafael tries to convince Alexander to try dating again when an ex from years before turns up in Chicago. Rafael even offers to help Alexander get more comfortable with intimacy. This will lead to Alexander’s greatest dreams coming true as he gets to be with Rafael the way he always hoped, although he knows it isn’t permanent. It will take time but Rafael will come to his senses and realize the truth about his feelings for Alexander. The two will take a chance to confess their feelings and finding out they both feel the same will allow them to take the next step in their relationship. Rafael will have a moment when he questions his worth as a boyfriend for someone as special as Alexander, but as always, Alexander will let him know that there is nobody better for him than Rafael.
Gruff Touch - The final story of the set and it’s Caesar and Drew. Caesar’s considered a bit of an old grump and Drew is in town to find out information about the father he never knew, a man named Mack. At first, Caesar does everything he can to avoid Drew but Drew is just too persistent. Painful memories surface for Caesar but he soon finds he can’t resist Drew. The two have amazing chemistry and it doesn’t take long for them to give in to it. Drew continues to draw Caesar out of his shell and his loneliness but a trip back to Drew’s hometown will throw them a bit of a curve ball. It will bring up emotions Drew doesn’t want Caesar to see and it will make Caesar think about his own life and how Drew may end up making sacrifices for him that he had to make for his mother. Caesar will try to push Drew away, but in the end, Drew gets the upper hand with his grumpy old “softie” and it will lead the two to a happily ever after full of new beginnings with old friends.
I read an ARC copy of these books and am volunteering my honest review.
These books are awesome! The story of four couples who find themselves together despite their differences. One of each couple is a geek and the other a tattoo artist and each couples’ journey to their happily ever after is well worth reading!
Geek Tattoo - The story of Matty and Stone. Matty is a stop motion animator and Stone is an apprentice in a tattoo shop. Their first meeting will be in the park where Matty is having a memorial service for his cat with all his friends. Stone will stop by and the two will not be able to stop thinking about each other. Stone is straight but when his coworker, Jeremiah starts getting nasty about gay people, Stone puts his foot in his mouth saying he has a boyfriend. This will lead to asking Matty to pretend with him. While their relationship starts out to be fake, Matty using Stone to make his ex jealous in hopes of winning him back, the two will soon find their feelings aren’t as fake as they thought. Both have a bit of a rough past but in time, they will able to see that they can be what the other truly needs and they will get the chance to start down the path to their happily ever after with new friends and found family along for the ride.
Crave Me - Joey and Milo are up next! Milo is Matty’s ex and is coming off a break up with his most recent boyfriend Hilton. Joey is the new guy at the tattoo shop with a past of his own. They will meet when Matty convinces Milo to get a tattoo to celebrate his new beginning. Joey gets to do it. Joey tries to keep his distance but Milo will wiggle his way into Joey’s heart. It will take time but both will open up about their pasts and things are going well until Joey’s past comes to Chicago. He tries to pull away but Milo refuses to give up on him and the belief that they were meant to be together. For Milo, Joey will confront his past and wipe the slate clean so that he and Milo can move on to the future they both want.
Just A Kiss - It’s Rafael and Alexander’s turn next! Friends and roommates for years, Alexander has secretly been in love with Rafael but he doesn’t tell anyone. Rafael has given up on relationships, tired of not finding one that lasts. After his art show doesn’t go well, he decides to try tattooing. This will lead him to the shop where Stone and Joey work. Rafael tries to convince Alexander to try dating again when an ex from years before turns up in Chicago. Rafael even offers to help Alexander get more comfortable with intimacy. This will lead to Alexander’s greatest dreams coming true as he gets to be with Rafael the way he always hoped, although he knows it isn’t permanent. It will take time but Rafael will come to his senses and realize the truth about his feelings for Alexander. The two will take a chance to confess their feelings and finding out they both feel the same will allow them to take the next step in their relationship. Rafael will have a moment when he questions his worth as a boyfriend for someone as special as Alexander, but as always, Alexander will let him know that there is nobody better for him than Rafael.
Gruff Touch - The final story of the set and it’s Caesar and Drew. Caesar’s considered a bit of an old grump and Drew is in town to find out information about the father he never knew, a man named Mack. At first, Caesar does everything he can to avoid Drew but Drew is just too persistent. Painful memories surface for Caesar but he soon finds he can’t resist Drew. The two have amazing chemistry and it doesn’t take long for them to give in to it. Drew continues to draw Caesar out of his shell and his loneliness but a trip back to Drew’s hometown will throw them a bit of a curve ball. It will bring up emotions Drew doesn’t want Caesar to see and it will make Caesar think about his own life and how Drew may end up making sacrifices for him that he had to make for his mother. Caesar will try to push Drew away, but in the end, Drew gets the upper hand with his grumpy old “softie” and it will lead the two to a happily ever after full of new beginnings with old friends.
I read an ARC copy of these books and am volunteering my honest review.
August 19, 2022
This collection is a 4 Stars for me simply because two of the books are 5 Stars (the 1st and 4th books), and two of the books are 3 Stars (The 2nd & 3rd books) I do recommend the entire series and think this 4 book set is great! Below you will see a review for each individual book.
GEEK TATTOO 5⭐️
Marty & Stone are so great together and their chemistry is off the charts! I love the fake boyfriend trope and this one was done so well.
Stone is basically instantly attracted to Marty and that starts is bi-awakening. Marty us attracted to Stone even though Stone is nothing like the men he usually dates. This story is extra sweet because they both fully believe in each other’s talent and they really support each other’s art. This book is definitely going on my read again list.
CRAVE ME 3⭐️
Overall I enjoyed this story but it’s not one of my favorites in the series. Milo is so sweet and adorable. I feel in love with him right away. He is really the star if this story. Joey was an okay character but his whole backstory wasn’t necessary. It could have been edited better or honestly just left out. It never really made sense and how it was resolved was way too easy.
JUST A KISS 3⭐️
This was a really cute read. I enjoy this series and Just a Kiss fits in well with the previous two. It is a pretty standard friends to lovers. Alexander has been in love with Rafael for years but Alexander doesn’t like casual and he knows Rafael only does hook ups. What starts as an agreement to help Alexander feel more comfortable with sex starts to turn into something more than either one thought it would be. There isn’t anything about this book that I would say was bad, it was an easy read with good chemistry but for me it didn’t really stand out as something super unique. If you like friends to lovers then you will enjoy this book for sure.
GRUFF TOUCH 5⭐️
I have been waiting for Caesar’s story since I read the first book in the series and it did not disappoint! Caesar is a gruff man often described as grumpy but he really is secretly a caring man. He doesn’t express himself often but he has strong feelings he keeps inside. Drew is his total opposite! A happy guy who is always full of sunshine. I loved the opposites attract element of this story. I love the slow build of their relationship and how they both try to deny how they feel but in the end they just can’t. This book has really happy and sweet moments but it also has sad and angsty moments. It all works together to create an amazing story. I will definitely be reading this story again.
I did receive a free ARC of this box set but that did not influence my review.
GEEK TATTOO 5⭐️
Marty & Stone are so great together and their chemistry is off the charts! I love the fake boyfriend trope and this one was done so well.
Stone is basically instantly attracted to Marty and that starts is bi-awakening. Marty us attracted to Stone even though Stone is nothing like the men he usually dates. This story is extra sweet because they both fully believe in each other’s talent and they really support each other’s art. This book is definitely going on my read again list.
CRAVE ME 3⭐️
Overall I enjoyed this story but it’s not one of my favorites in the series. Milo is so sweet and adorable. I feel in love with him right away. He is really the star if this story. Joey was an okay character but his whole backstory wasn’t necessary. It could have been edited better or honestly just left out. It never really made sense and how it was resolved was way too easy.
JUST A KISS 3⭐️
This was a really cute read. I enjoy this series and Just a Kiss fits in well with the previous two. It is a pretty standard friends to lovers. Alexander has been in love with Rafael for years but Alexander doesn’t like casual and he knows Rafael only does hook ups. What starts as an agreement to help Alexander feel more comfortable with sex starts to turn into something more than either one thought it would be. There isn’t anything about this book that I would say was bad, it was an easy read with good chemistry but for me it didn’t really stand out as something super unique. If you like friends to lovers then you will enjoy this book for sure.
GRUFF TOUCH 5⭐️
I have been waiting for Caesar’s story since I read the first book in the series and it did not disappoint! Caesar is a gruff man often described as grumpy but he really is secretly a caring man. He doesn’t express himself often but he has strong feelings he keeps inside. Drew is his total opposite! A happy guy who is always full of sunshine. I loved the opposites attract element of this story. I love the slow build of their relationship and how they both try to deny how they feel but in the end they just can’t. This book has really happy and sweet moments but it also has sad and angsty moments. It all works together to create an amazing story. I will definitely be reading this story again.
I did receive a free ARC of this box set but that did not influence my review.
August 17, 2022
Geeks and tattoos - what's not to like?
I liked Stone and Matty in Geek Tattoo, I loved Joey and Milo in Crave Me, and my favourites were Caesar and Drew in Gruff Touch. All three books were a good four stars. The only letdown was Just A Kiss which was two stars.
I like the fake boyfriends trope and Matty and Stone were very sweet together. Stone was such a good, kind man who deserved love and I was pleased that Matty managed to get over himself and his stupid pining for Milo (his best friend and ex) and love Stone back.
Opposites attract is always a good premise for a story and Joey and Milo couldn't have been more different but they just worked together. Milo was a complete sweetheart and he captured my heart in this one. Joey had a bit of drama with his family but it resolved very easily in the end, too easily in fact, but at least it meant he and Milo were free to be together.
I'm not keen on friends to lovers as a trope because it usually transpires that one of them has been in love with the other for a long time and that hurts me. Alexander has lived with, looked after, and loved his completely oblivious best friend for years, while Rafael has sworn off relationships but has frequent hookups. Alexander was such a lovely person and I wanted him to wake up and kick Rafael to the kerb because Rafael truly didn't deserve him. This was a disappointment to me, considering how much I loved the other three books.
I don't mind age gaps, and grumpy/sunshine is always fun so Drew and Caesar were already ahead with me. Caesar has made shadowy guest appearances in the previous three books and I am so glad he got his own story. Drew was his sunshine and just what Caesar needed to give him a new lease on life after years of being alone and lonely. Drew just wouldn't quit when it came to the gruff man, and seeing both of them come to life was a pleasure to read. They stole the show and I'm glad they were last because it was a perfect way to end the series.
The icing on the tattoed cake of this series for me was that the non-tattoist partners all had unusual professions. A stop-motion animator, a botanist, a librarian archivist and a pinball machine restorer, and they were all fascinating. Seeing each man shine in their profession, their love for what they do glowing, was marvellous and made me love them more.
I liked Stone and Matty in Geek Tattoo, I loved Joey and Milo in Crave Me, and my favourites were Caesar and Drew in Gruff Touch. All three books were a good four stars. The only letdown was Just A Kiss which was two stars.
I like the fake boyfriends trope and Matty and Stone were very sweet together. Stone was such a good, kind man who deserved love and I was pleased that Matty managed to get over himself and his stupid pining for Milo (his best friend and ex) and love Stone back.
Opposites attract is always a good premise for a story and Joey and Milo couldn't have been more different but they just worked together. Milo was a complete sweetheart and he captured my heart in this one. Joey had a bit of drama with his family but it resolved very easily in the end, too easily in fact, but at least it meant he and Milo were free to be together.
I'm not keen on friends to lovers as a trope because it usually transpires that one of them has been in love with the other for a long time and that hurts me. Alexander has lived with, looked after, and loved his completely oblivious best friend for years, while Rafael has sworn off relationships but has frequent hookups. Alexander was such a lovely person and I wanted him to wake up and kick Rafael to the kerb because Rafael truly didn't deserve him. This was a disappointment to me, considering how much I loved the other three books.
I don't mind age gaps, and grumpy/sunshine is always fun so Drew and Caesar were already ahead with me. Caesar has made shadowy guest appearances in the previous three books and I am so glad he got his own story. Drew was his sunshine and just what Caesar needed to give him a new lease on life after years of being alone and lonely. Drew just wouldn't quit when it came to the gruff man, and seeing both of them come to life was a pleasure to read. They stole the show and I'm glad they were last because it was a perfect way to end the series.
The icing on the tattoed cake of this series for me was that the non-tattoist partners all had unusual professions. A stop-motion animator, a botanist, a librarian archivist and a pinball machine restorer, and they were all fascinating. Seeing each man shine in their profession, their love for what they do glowing, was marvellous and made me love them more.
August 16, 2022
Geek Ink is a fantastic box set!! Geek Tattoo-Stone is a tattoo artist with a homophobic co-worker, and he thinks he’s straight. Matty is an out and proud stop-animation creator/artist. When Stone needs a fake boyfriend, he asks Matty. These two were fun to read! Loved the chemistry between them! Crave Me-I seriously loved this story! Its one of my favorite troupes! The geeky nerd and the quiet tattoo artist, total opposites attract. Joey is so quiet and withdrawn and when Milo gets nervous, he word vomits! Loved the connection they built, serious chemistry! Just A Kiss-I seriously loved Alexander and Rafael! They are best friends who love each other but don’t really realize it. Well Alexander knows he loves his best friend. I loved how they were clueless! I loved how Rafael grew and gained confidence! Fantastic story, well written, highly recommend! I loved everything about this story. Gruff Touch-This sooo good! I’m a huge fan of the grumpy/sunshine troupe and this one did not disappoint. I loved how Drew brought Caesar out of his grumpy shell! It was such a sweet story with a great happy ending!! I’ve loved all these Geek Ink stories and was so happy for Caesar to get his HEA. Fantastic story, well written, highly recommend! I loved everything about this story.
August 16, 2022
This box set does a really, really good job of giving you a little taste of everything you could ever want. It covers a really good expanse of tropes.
Book one has a fake boyfriend, bi awakening. Two is bad guy/nerdy boy. Three is the best friends to lovers trope <3, and book four is the grumpy sunshine!
I really loved all the couples from the individual books... but, since I'm an enormous friend of the fake boyfriend trope, the first book in the series really stole my heart. Matty and Stone are just adorable, and I can't stand it.
That isn't to say that the rest of the books in the series aren't equally as good. There's a lot of steam, a lot of amazing characters, a splash of angst to compel the story forward, and so many HEAs that you're going to be grinning for a week after you finish your read through. I really recommend this series if you want to pick up a box set that really gets you a good bang (haha) for your buck. I'll be reviewing the books individually as well to go more in depth, because I just enjoyed the series that much!
Definitely recommend this one!
Book one has a fake boyfriend, bi awakening. Two is bad guy/nerdy boy. Three is the best friends to lovers trope <3, and book four is the grumpy sunshine!
I really loved all the couples from the individual books... but, since I'm an enormous friend of the fake boyfriend trope, the first book in the series really stole my heart. Matty and Stone are just adorable, and I can't stand it.
That isn't to say that the rest of the books in the series aren't equally as good. There's a lot of steam, a lot of amazing characters, a splash of angst to compel the story forward, and so many HEAs that you're going to be grinning for a week after you finish your read through. I really recommend this series if you want to pick up a box set that really gets you a good bang (haha) for your buck. I'll be reviewing the books individually as well to go more in depth, because I just enjoyed the series that much!
Definitely recommend this one!
August 18, 2022
I really enjoyed this series it has a little bit of everything!
Each book in the series was a nice light read and I want to add that there were deeper storylines and some angst but that overall they were a great escape.
I felt invested in each couple as I was reading their story and I loved the cameos! The way the characters were tied together but still had big and complex personalities made them all likable so even though I was sad when their story came to an end I was able to fully immerse myself in the other books and truly care about those characters as well.
I am picky about what troupes I read and to be completely honest there was a few within the series that I traditionally would not have read however because I was invested in the characters and in the series as a whole I read the books anyway and was very glad that I didn’t let my lack of interest in the troupe stop me from enjoying the whole series!
Each book in the series was a nice light read and I want to add that there were deeper storylines and some angst but that overall they were a great escape.
I felt invested in each couple as I was reading their story and I loved the cameos! The way the characters were tied together but still had big and complex personalities made them all likable so even though I was sad when their story came to an end I was able to fully immerse myself in the other books and truly care about those characters as well.
I am picky about what troupes I read and to be completely honest there was a few within the series that I traditionally would not have read however because I was invested in the characters and in the series as a whole I read the books anyway and was very glad that I didn’t let my lack of interest in the troupe stop me from enjoying the whole series!
August 15, 2022
All 4 books now together in one place!!!
I read this series, Geek Ink, when if first came out. I checked Goodreads to see what rating I had given them and noticed that I had given each book 5 stars.
When I saw that this series was now a new box-set, I couldn't wait to dive back in. I love these 4 stories so much... it was so fun to reread them after such a long time and now I remember why I loved them.
The 4 books are centered around Blade Tattoo parlor.
Matty and Stone - Book 1 - fake boyfriend, bi-awakening
Milo and Joey - Book 2 - bad boy/geek
Alexander and Rafael - Book 3 best friends to lovers
Drew and Caesar - Book 4 - age gap >20 years, grumpy/sunshine
These books are so good, you won't be disappointed when picking up this box set to read.
Found family, heat, and HEAs
I read this series, Geek Ink, when if first came out. I checked Goodreads to see what rating I had given them and noticed that I had given each book 5 stars.
When I saw that this series was now a new box-set, I couldn't wait to dive back in. I love these 4 stories so much... it was so fun to reread them after such a long time and now I remember why I loved them.
The 4 books are centered around Blade Tattoo parlor.
Matty and Stone - Book 1 - fake boyfriend, bi-awakening
Milo and Joey - Book 2 - bad boy/geek
Alexander and Rafael - Book 3 best friends to lovers
Drew and Caesar - Book 4 - age gap >20 years, grumpy/sunshine
These books are so good, you won't be disappointed when picking up this box set to read.
Found family, heat, and HEAs
August 15, 2022
There are four great books in one set by R. Cayden. "Geek Tatoo" has Matty and Stone with both so sweet and tender. "Crave Me" has Milo looking for love and Joey determined to isolate himself rather then endanger Milo. "Just a Kiss" is about Rafael and Alexander who have been best friends forever until Rafael wakes up and realizes he loves Alexander. And my favorite "Gift of Touch" has Drew and his grumpy bear love, Ceasar. All the books involve hunky, sexy tatoo artists and the gentle, geeky guys they adore. There is angst in every story and lots of undeniable adoration, want, and need. There is plenty of steamy times and I love to see these strong, silent tough guys melt for their sweet guys. Very enjoyable reads for everyone. I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion.
August 17, 2022
ARC Review - I thoroughly enjoyed this box set. Each book covers a different pair but they do all connect via a tattoo shop and a geeky group of friends. Each character is well defined and yes, there's some stereo-typing but the storylines are very well written and engaging. I loved that you could read about each of them in one go without waiting for next book - love boxsets !!! All manner of tropes are covered - nerd/biker, grump/sunshine, friends to lovers, age gap, found family - the stories are romantic, steamy (you can feel the attraction buzzing off the pages between the characters), funny, nerdy, passionate (not just feelings, about their works/interests), some angst (there are a couple of triggers) and overall, HEA's !! Brilliant series and perfect in a boxset - no waiting for the next book !!
August 16, 2022
This is my first series by R. Cayden and it did not disappoint!
I devoured this box set on my kindle. I loved how convenient it is to have the whole series in one kindle download, it made it much easier to go from one story right into the next.
My plan is to write more detailed likes and dislikes on each story under the individual book on Goodreads, since it would be too much for a single review here.
I can’t pick one couple or one story that was my favorite, because I enjoyed them all that much. Tattoos, geeks, some hurt/comfort, they couldn’t get any better.
I highly recommend this series and especially the box set to anyone looking for a new series to binge. These are on my list to buy physical copies to add to my shelf! 5/5 🌟 all around!!
I devoured this box set on my kindle. I loved how convenient it is to have the whole series in one kindle download, it made it much easier to go from one story right into the next.
My plan is to write more detailed likes and dislikes on each story under the individual book on Goodreads, since it would be too much for a single review here.
I can’t pick one couple or one story that was my favorite, because I enjoyed them all that much. Tattoos, geeks, some hurt/comfort, they couldn’t get any better.
I highly recommend this series and especially the box set to anyone looking for a new series to binge. These are on my list to buy physical copies to add to my shelf! 5/5 🌟 all around!!
August 19, 2022
Book sets are a preferred choice for me. You can go immediately to the next book without breaking your stride. Especially when you have a cast of characters that are so enjoyable. Vastly different personalities - coming to together for that desired HEA. Side characters who make the stories just as intriguing without detracting from the couple of focus.
Having read books two and three, it was nice to start at the beginning and feel like I've gotten the feeling of the series. With so many tropes, you're bound to find one to suit your mood.
**I received this ARC via Gay Romance Reviews for my honesty feedback.**
Having read books two and three, it was nice to start at the beginning and feel like I've gotten the feeling of the series. With so many tropes, you're bound to find one to suit your mood.
**I received this ARC via Gay Romance Reviews for my honesty feedback.**
August 18, 2022
This is a box set which cover all 4 books in the Geek Ink Series. Book 1 Geek Tattoo features Stone and Matty and they were well written and the story kept me engaged. Book 2 Crave Me features Milo and Joey and again they were well written with a good background story. Book 3 Just A Kiss features Rafael and Alexander and this was my least enjoyed story only because I’ve read it a hundred times before. Book 4 Gruff Touch features Caesar and Drew and I did enjoy this story but it could have been fleshed out more. Overall a great read.
August 15, 2022
This is a fun little set of books. I love box sets because you have everything right there together in one volume. I think my favorite story is still the first one, Geek Tattoo. Stone and Matty are just the perfect couple and their relationship was never fake. I also really enjoyed Alexander and Rafael’s story. So much pining! But when they both finally work everything out, it is sheer perfection. There isn’t a bad book in this set really. It is definitely worth a read.
August 15, 2022
I absolutely devoured this series, it was so good and I couldn’t wait to read all the MC’s stories after meeting most in the first book. I didn’t read all the individual blurbs before getting stuck in and was sooooo excited that we got Caesar’s book as a fitting end to this box set. I wasn’t sure about how his relationship with Drew could grow and develop but it was beautifully written and I could read so much more about all the pairings in this series.
August 16, 2022
I am sooo happy that this series is now a boxed set!! All of these wonderful stories can now be read altogether! This is a must read you will not be disappointed! I read all of these stories individually and I was super excited to reread all of them together in this amazing boxed set! R. Cayden has done a remarkable job with these wonderful characters! I LOVE this boxed set! I read an advanced copy of this boxed set and this is my unbiased review!
August 17, 2022
I love a box set of my favorite stories. I had read and loved them all when they first came out and love the convenience of having them all together for my rereads.
The 4 books are centered around Blade Tattoo parlor.
Matty & Stone - Book 1 - fake boyfriend, bi-awakening
Milo & Joey - Book 2 - bad boy/geek
Alexander & Rafael - Book 3 best friends to lovers
Drew & Caesar - Book 4 - age gap >20 years, grumpy/sunshine
Each story is a winner. You can't go wrong here!
The 4 books are centered around Blade Tattoo parlor.
Matty & Stone - Book 1 - fake boyfriend, bi-awakening
Milo & Joey - Book 2 - bad boy/geek
Alexander & Rafael - Book 3 best friends to lovers
Drew & Caesar - Book 4 - age gap >20 years, grumpy/sunshine
Each story is a winner. You can't go wrong here!
August 17, 2022
I love this series. The two first books have one MC each who has violence in his past that comes back "to visit" and to me that makes those books feel a bit darker (despite the men beeing sweethearts on the inside). Book three is the lightest with a friends to lovers trope. Book four is my favorite of the series with two men who has been through a lot (separately), but get their HEA.
The series is fairly low angst and high on steam (and sweetness).
The series is fairly low angst and high on steam (and sweetness).
August 18, 2022
An amazing collection! Four stories of four couples who are so different yet so perfect for each other! Four tattoo artists (which I just love!) and their four geeks that they just adore! Each one with their own trope and their own set of issues. These stories pull at your heart and really holds your interest! So sweet and enjoyable! I very highly recommend! I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review for this complimentary copy of this book
August 19, 2022
Geek Ink Boxset is absolutely perfect with four incredible reads. An m/m interconnected series.
I devoured the entire series, once I had picked it up I couldn’t put it down.
These friends and the hot tattoo artists are everything you could want. They all have their own individual problems but when they come together the connection for each couple is explosive.
Couldn’t recommend this series high enough. Love each and every one and can’t wait to get my hands on more.
I devoured the entire series, once I had picked it up I couldn’t put it down.
These friends and the hot tattoo artists are everything you could want. They all have their own individual problems but when they come together the connection for each couple is explosive.
Couldn’t recommend this series high enough. Love each and every one and can’t wait to get my hands on more.
August 23, 2022
This is a collection of 4 great books and the stories of Stone and Matty in Geek Tattoo, Milo and Joey in Crave me (my favourite), Alex and Rafael in Just A Kiss and lastly Drew and Caesar in Gruff Touch. I love that the books are interconnected. It has everything you need in a romance - fun, angst and steamy moments. Loved it. Definitely recommended.
I received this book as an Arc and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
I received this book as an Arc and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
August 17, 2022
The whole series together in one set! All four stories are well done and are centered around the tattoo shop Blade. Each pairing is well done but may favorite book is #4 where grumpy Caesar falls for his friends son. Filled with great characters, some sweet romance and some steam this collection is a winner if you love geeks and tattoos!
August 19, 2022
I loved being able to binge all these stories together and see favorite tropes such as age gap, fake boyfriend, friends to lovers and grumpy sunshine combined with the tattoo parlor setting with its artists. I think my favorite book was Crave me because of the character of Milo, the sweet scientist totally unprepared to find love with tattoo artist Joey.
December 31, 2022
Beautifully written books all around the Tattoo shop. I loved that you got to keep in touch with characters from previous books, I love series’ for this!
I really enjoyed all books, they were all low angst but super cute. The 3rd book was a best friends to lovers which is a style I enjoy!
Great series, quick to read but enjoyable
I really enjoyed all books, they were all low angst but super cute. The 3rd book was a best friends to lovers which is a style I enjoy!
Great series, quick to read but enjoyable
August 15, 2022
Great Series
I really enjoyed this series and this box set is a great way to have them all together. These are all great opposites attract kind of stories and worth reading.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I really enjoyed this series and this box set is a great way to have them all together. These are all great opposites attract kind of stories and worth reading.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
August 15, 2022
My favorite story was the Gruff Touch because I love age gap, the bigger that gap the better. And the age gap between Drew and Caesar was significant. It was a 24 year age gap. While I enjoyed reading the angst between the two, it was annoying how repetitive it was about their age gap.
August 16, 2022
A great collection featuring 4 stories all focused around Blade Tattoo and the men who capture their hearts. All stories feature strong themes of found family and individual books feature friends to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, mafia and some nerdy boys.
August 19, 2022
The whole series was wonderful, I absolutely loved this series. I've read a couple of them separately but it was great getting to read them back to back. R. Cayden is an amazing writer & the work is always if the charts. Each couple gets their happy ending & it's absolutely beautiful! 😀❤️😀❤️
August 15, 2022
Box Set!!!
I love when series are in box sets! This box set has all four full length books in one place! The character in this low angst series were highly entertaining!
I love when series are in box sets! This box set has all four full length books in one place! The character in this low angst series were highly entertaining!
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