Name: Under Her Skin
ISBN: 9781492633846

Adriana Anders

Her Body is His Canvas A darkly possessive relationship has left Uma alone and on the run. Beneath her drab clothing, she hides a terrible secret-proof of her abuse, tattooed onto her skin in a lurid reminder of everything she's survived. Caught between a brutal past and an uncertain future, Uma's reluctant to bare herself to anyone, much less a rough ex-con whose rage drives him in ways she will never understand. But beneath his frightening exterior, Ivan is gentle. Warm. Compassionate. And just as determined to heal Uma's broken heart as he is to destroy the monster who left his mark scrawled across the delicate tapestry of her skin. Praise for Under Her Skin: "A dark and emotional tale that will make your spine tingle as well as your heart." -Sarina Bowen, USA Today bestselling author of Bittersweet "The perfect romance...a hint of danger, a whole lot of spice, and an HEA you believe in." -Anne Calhoun, award-winning author of Under the Surface Blank Canvas: Under Her Skin (Book 1) By Her Touch (Book 2) In His Hands (Book 3)

Under Her Skin

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

Under Her Skin is the first book in her Black Canvas trilogy. I have had this trilogy on my TBR for the longest time, and even have books 2 and 3 on my kindle but realized when wanting to read this trilogy this year, that I didn't have book 1 but my library had it so I just grabbed this up in Audio. Lately, I have been obsessed with Audiobooks and I had a fun time with this treasure trove. I am not sure what exactly I was expecting, but I knew that I was in for a treat since I have heard so many good things about these books over the past couple of years. And first I want to mention that this book was fantastic and I had a fun time with this story.

Uma, our heroine, is on the run from her ex. She is hiding some secrets, and all she dreams of is to be free but knowing that she might be on the run most of her life.  She has come to this town to hide in for a time when she hears of a clinic that can help erase the painful scars of her past, scars that haunt her to the point where she covers her body up and hides from herself. Uma finds a job as a companion for an elderly woman who may be bitter and crotchety at times, but she is endearing at times and a champion when Uma needs one. But when Uma meets her next door neighbor, she wishes that she could be free from her past and live as she wishes but she knows that she will have to move on after she finishes what she came there to do.

Ivan has his own demons that he battles with. He is a honed fighter, helps teach MMA and self-defense classes for women and runs a wood and blacksmith shop. He grew up poor and had to learn to survive with only the essentials. Ivan, spent time in prison when trying to protect his sister from her abusive husband. Now, he lives a quiet life, working in his shop and taking care of his menagerie of animals. But he is intrigued by Uma, she is so different and he knows that she is haunted and only wishes to protect her but once he learns the truth, Ivan will need to prove his trust and love to Uma, one that fights his instincts to protect.

Under Her Skin is a provocative romance that stuns you with powerful emotions and depicts some trauma that Uma deals with that you normally don't see in characters that have suffered abuse. Your heart will ache for Uma though, she is a fighter and she has such courage and resilience and I love her determination to not let what her ex has done to her keep her from living her life. But her ex is powerful so she has some fears and wants to make a life away from him. We see how she hides in the shadows at the beginning of the story though and even tries to hide from herself. Now when you find out what her ex does to her, then you begin to understand her goals and what she is wanting. There is powerful chemistry that we see form between Uma and Ivan and the intimacy that we see build between these two is electric.

Seeing these two overcome their pasts and open their hearts to each other has an almost cleansing feel for the reader/listener, we see what drives these two people and the dynamics of their characters and their relationship is heartfelt in all the right ways. These two really come together when its right for them both and we find that they are so right for each other, they truly understand pain in different ways but their different outlooks on their pasts are what connects them.

Under Her Skin is a powerful read, that makes you think and feel some powerful emotions....a romance that provokes the readers in an endearing manner and makes you want more from this stunning author....BRILLIANTLY DONE!

This gentle giant's scarred hands may be the warmest touch she'll ever know. ...if only life were a fairy tale where Beauty got to keep her Beast Ivan thought the world was through giving him second chances. Hell, who was he kidding—he wasn't good enough for them anyway. And he certainly wasn't good enough for her. But the moment Uma walked into his life, Ivan knew he had to put all that crap aside and do everything he could to help. She was like nothing he'd ever known. Beautiful, lost, alone, she had the kind of sad eyes that were just begging for someone to save her... ...and despite his rough exterior, despite the nasty rumors, despite all the bad decisions following him around like the strays he couldn't help but rescue, Ivan was nothing but willing to be the kind of man she needed. Yeah, he'd thought the world was through giving him second chances. Until she came into his life. Until she changed everything. Until he realized he would do anything, fight anyone, tear the world apart if it only meant saving her. Blank Canvas series: Under Her Skin (Book 1) By Her Touch (Book 2) In His Hands (Book 3) Praise for Under Her Skin: "A dark and emotional tale that will make your spine tingle as well as your heart."—SARINA BOWEN, USA Today bestselling author of Bittersweet "The perfect romance...a hint of danger, a whole lot of spice, and an HEA you believe in."—ANNE CALHOUN, award-winning author of Under the Surface

Olivia

127394927/10, Anders never disappoints. I went into this book blind and found myself sucked in. Finished it in one sitting and am still thinking about it over a week later. I don’t recommend everyone go into this book blind because there is some heavy content (an abusive ex who did some really fucked up stuff), but I highly recommend this book and series for that matter!

Totally Addicted to Reading

Now and then, I come across a book that tests my boundaries and forces me to re-think my views on controversial and hard-hitting topics. “Under Her Skin” was one such book. From the moment, I read the blurb I knew this would be an interesting read and so I was glad when Netgalley approved my request.

Not only is the story an emotional read, it is also thought-provoking. I know that this story is likely to be a trigger for persons who have been in a similar position. This story was a vivid reminder that some women may find themselves in a relationship that proves to be toxic both mentally and physically. At times, they find excuses to justify their reasons for remaining in such a relationship. Some of these same women will look deep within themselves to find the courage to escape such a situation and take back their lives. This is a story about one such woman.

Uma was in a relationship with a powerful man. When they first met, he was as charming as ever, but that all changed as their relationship progressed. The signs were there, but she stuck it out believing that things would change. Unfortunately, that was not the case, things went downhill and before she knew it, she was running for her life.

The story started slow and it maintained that pace to the end. Although the pacing was slow, the story was not boring. The pacing was perfect for this kind of story. This is the kind of story that deserves to be savoured and not rushed.

This is not a sweet and flowery romance. It is a story about two broken souls finding love when they least expect it. Uma is running for her life and getting close to anyone, especially a man was not on her list of priorities. What she never expected to encounter was the brooding and scary stranger who would become her lifeline in her journey of reclaiming her life.

From the moment Ivan laid eyes on Uma, he knew she was a victim of abuse having experienced it first-hand. He wanted to help, but this would prove challenging, as she was afraid to put her trust in him, which is understandable given her history. She would soon come to realise that he is nothing like her ex-fiancée but, that did stop her from being wary. He helped her realise that she need not be afraid. He gave her hope. This reminded me that a relationship with the right person could be a wonderful and powerful experience.

Their interaction was poignant. The author’s portrayal of Uma and Ivan made it easy to establish a connection with them. I felt every emotion that they experienced. I enjoyed watching Uma overcome her fears and regain her confidence. They helped each other in their healing process.

I enjoyed the romance, which did not take place until around the second half of the story. It moved slowly, which was a good thing for them both. Her need for control in this was understandable and I loved that Ivan allowed her to take charge.

The supporting characters were diverse, some were likable and some not so much. The one that peaked my interest was Uma’s new employer. At first, her behavior was mean, but beneath all that, meanness laid a soul that has had its share of pain. I loved that Uma stood up to her making their interaction entertaining.

Verdict:

Under Her Skin is everything I expected it to be. It is an unforgettable story about love, hope, and healing. I enjoyed every moment of this powerful, emotional and thought-provoking read and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

NB: This can be read as a stand-alone.

b.andherbooks

Black smith romances are my catnip (please always tell me if you find one) but I'd been saving this Adriana Anders in case of an emergency, and wow did that pay off well for me!

With such a heavy subject matter, I loved how Anders showed Uma reclaiming her power and control, and for Ivan being oh so willing and able to do whatever Uma needed to feel safe and comfortable. Uma's fear of being discovered by her powerful ex, who is a prosecutor and "in bed with the cops" made my heart break thinking about how many people live with that same fear. 

Uma learning self-defense, finding friendship, finding love, was so fulfilling. I never felt like Uma went through a "magic" moment of healing, which is what I fear from stories including abuse and trauma, but Anders put our heroine well on the path to finding her happiness and home.

Of special note, I loved how the relationship between Uma and the woman who became her employer played out. Uma didn't take her shit, but also respected her as a human, despite her awfulness/crankiness. I liked how that played out, and I about passed out when we found out her name. 

CWs: heroine experienced emotional and physical abuse/torture at the hands of an ex. abuse is detailed, and the ex does return to try and harm the heroine. Hero served prison time for beating his sister's abuser. Drinking, medical procedures (heroine is getting tattoos forced on her by ex removed).