I am such a sucker for a damaged character...add in some hot ass tattoos and some, uh, strategic body piercing and I am totally hooked. Rule is about as damaged as they come and uses his charm and amazing looks to drown his pain in an endless stream of one night stands.Shaw, on the outside, is everything that Rule is not. She's clean cut, prissy and proper. Who she is on the inside is someone that rarely peeks her head out. When she finally lets loose a little, Rule's eyes open wide to see a part of both Shaw and himself he didn't know existed.Shaw isn't in the healthiest of spots herself. Both Shaw and Rule have some pretty major family issues that will thoroughly break your heart. But, Shaw also has the pressure from a ex-boyfriend turned ruthless stalker to contend with. With all the problems thrown at them Shaw and Rule need each other more than ever but those problems are bigger than either of them is capable of dealing with and may burn them before they even have a chance to ignite.I loved the relationship Rule and Shaw had from the start. It was troublesome and angsty, yet you could see they both deeply cared about each other. Neither is easy, which I adore...I crush on a good broken character just trying to find a way to survive and I was given a double dose here.More than that really, because Crownover sets up so many other characters. You really get a feel for all the people in Rule and Shaw's lives. I know it is set up for future Marked Men titles and I am so thankful for it.While I loved the story and the characters there were a few things that I disliked. Mostly it was the way some of the characters spoke, it just didn't feel authentic for the age group. Not a major deal breaker, but it was noticeable. Also, there were several occasions were it was eluded that Shaw liked sex a little rough or dirty but there was no execution there. It felt like a clean book with delusions of being dirty.I'll be continuing the series but I'll be hoping for just a little more grit to match what these characters seem to portray. These are inked up, pierced, metal rocker types... I expect grime and dirt, you know?
