A Brand New Tangled & Tempting Romance from New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters. “Must be slim, able to stand for long periods of time, and be impervious to the cold.”The headline caught my attention.“Hours are negotiable, pay is minimal, clothing absolutely forbidden.”The second line piqued my curiosity.“Able to hold your bladder and tongue, refrain from opinions or suggestions, and be … curiosity.
“Able to hold your bladder and tongue, refrain from opinions or suggestions, and be the perfect living canvas.”
The third made me scowl.
“Other attributes required: non-ticklish, contortionist, and obedient. Must also enjoy being studied while naked in a crowd.”
The fourth made me shudder.
“Call or email ‘YOUR SKIN, HIS CANVAS’ if interested in applying.”
The final made my heart race.
I should’ve kept scrolling past the advertisement.
I should’ve applied for the boring receptionist job at minimum wage.
I should’ve clicked on any other job where I got to keep my clothes on.
But I didn’t.
I applied.
My interview is tomorrow…
more
I love second chance romance and this book seemed to be just perfect for me.
I enjoyed this book with all the angst and suspense, the characters are reliable and I need more of them.
I didn’t liked some repetition of the same thoughts but putting it in other words and at times it felt like stalling for me as well as some other times it felt too rushed.
I must admit that it’s my first book by the author and i’ve heard so much about her that I just needed to read at least one book but it won’t be my last.
5 Stars!!!
“Years might’ve flowed between us but whatever it was that drew, linked, and bound us in school was still there. Only this time…it was stronger than a hum, deeper than a puddle, darker than any nightmare.”
Wow!! I don’t think I have ever met anyone as intense as Gilbert Clark!! The whole time I was reading this my whole body was just so wound up! He kept me on the edge of my seat, and I seriously want to know how authors can make up characters that completely impact us readers!
He will affect you the entire story! And good gosh can he f**k!!! I think he took over Christian Grey’s line when he said.. “I don’t make love… I f**k. Hard”. O. M.G!!! That first scene!! My goodness!! It was so INTENSE!! Who am I kidding, every scene with them like that was intense! I know, I know, I’ve used that word a few times regarding The Body Painter himself, but there’s just no other way to describe this specimen of a man!! He’ll definitely drive all women crazy!! I’m sure he’ll also bring you to your knees. He’s just that good!!
Pepper Winters continues to release some amazing stories. Some readers are even comparing this to The Ribbon Duet. But honestly? For me, there’s just no comparison. Not because one blows the other out of the park, but because they are completely two different stories. Even though The Ribbon Duet is still my all time favorite, I have loved everything that she has written since I started her Indebted Series. So take it from me… she did not disappoint with this release! I just know the wait for the conclusion to The Body Painter is going to be nail-biting! But… so worth the wait!!
~Juls
Gil and Olin were sweethearts in high school, but Gil broke her heart. She has never forgotten him. Now her dreams of being a dancer have crashed and she is struggling to find herself and keep her head above water. She searches the want ads daily to find a job she can live with, any job. Than she finds the perfect ad, but what she finds at her interview will change her life again.
Gil has had a rough life. Alcoholic, abusive father and never had many friends, but having Olin in high school was his life saver. Until he couldn’t have her anymore. So many things made Gil’s life hell, but giving up Olin was the worst he could ever go through. Now she shows up on his doorstep applying for his job posting and his life takes a whole other twist. Now how can he keep them both safe and happy? Or does he have to give her up again?
This book is a tough story about how peoples lives can take a dramatic turn and change how things turn out, but there might be another turn in the road that will lead you to happiness or towards more disastrous events.
~ 5 AGONIZING STARS! ~~
“We’d always been made for each other. Time had ripped us apart, but fate had brought us back.”
THE BODY PAINTER, the first book in Pepper Winters’ highly anticipated Master of Trickery duet, was très magnifique! But before I exalt on all the virtues of this extraordinary masterpiece can we take a moment to bask in the wonder of this VISIONARY book cover? Omg what a true work of art with a fusion of vibrant, swirling color and spellbinding illusion that took my breath way!
Okay now onto the actual story! I don’t want to spoil plot but in brief this is the WILDLY ADDICTIVE and EXPLOSIVE second chance romance revolving around high school soul-mates, Gilbert Clark and Olin Moss, who had traumatic, dysfunctional upbringings and found sweet solace in one another. These two kindred spirits were blissfully in love, and even though their relationship was equal parts agony and ecstasy, they made a solemn vow, promising that they would always look after the other. And they did….until that agonizing day when Gil inexplicably broke up with Olin, leaving her heartbroken and all alone once again.
FAST FORWARD to the present, seven years later. Olin assumed Gil was gone from her life forever until a twist of fate has her answering an advertisement to pose as a “living canvas” for an eccentric artist which brings her face to face with the boy she never stopped loving. She is in dire straits, in desperate need of a job. But this is far from just a mere professional arrangement for these two have unfinished business to sort out. And what happens next will captivate and consume you. Leave you bewitched and beguiled. Shatter your heart and have you tearing your hair out in frustration. And finally, at long last, will shove you headfirst over a cliff and leave you SCREAMING!
Gah…Gil in all his gloomy, tortured artist glory was absolutely MESMERIZING! Equal parts cruel, mercurial alphahole, roguishly sexy Demi-god and WOEFULLY TRAGIC LOST SOUL, this “masterpiece of masculinity with his sweeping eyebrows, harsh jawline, and unreadable, unforgiving green eyes” WRECKED me from page one!
“His face shadowed with agonising things. The love he hid. The hate he nursed. I was lost. Utterly, totally lost.”
And I also adored Olin, his beloved “O”, his muse, his achingly lonely, long-lost love…the OTHER HALF OF HIS BEREFT SOUL! The beautiful former dancer was “pure grace”—as sweet, kind natured and pure hearted as he was melancholy and menacing. She was the light to his dark, his Achilles heel, and the only one on the planet who could breach his cold, beastly exterior to reach the gentle-hearted recluse who lived and breathed her ethereal essence. Although he feels that he is unworthy of her love, Gil has always been her staunchest protector, and against all odds, will continue to shield her at all costs. But he is harboring a life-altering secret that’s eating him alive, and when the devastating truth comes out he could lose his most precious treasure.
However, “the Master of Trickery” is not the ONLY ONE wrestling with demons….
Olin has also faced some unfathomable hardship over the years, bears some horrific scars of her own. And despite her sweet, loving aura she is no wilting flower and will fight tooth and nail for the beautifully broken man who she will defend until the end of time! No matter what ugliness had transpired between them, these two always patched up the holes inside one another. However, these two star crossed lovers are on a collision course with destiny that may annihilate them BOTH in the end!
Set against a sumptuous tapestry of stunning beauty and shocking brutality, with meticulously crafted chapters that alternate between the present and the past, Ms. Winters wove a mysterious and thrillingly romantic tale of shattered innocence, of an eternal, transcendent love that’s lost then found again, and of the sheer resilience of the human spirit. The central love story that all began with a “blistering connection between a privileged girl and a poor boy who weren’t from the same existence” is complex and ALL CONSUMING, riddled with simmering tension, vibrating with ferocious volatility, and sizzling with red-hot passion! This is indeed the kind of story that swallows you whole, ties your tummy in knots, makes your heart thud wildly in your chest and has you choking back tears. But even though we are put through the wringer as Gil and Olin’s unbreakable bond is tested in unimaginable ways, through it all I was completely and utterly entranced!
“Deep in his gaze lurked remnants of the boy I’d loved. A silent apology. A wish for more. That damn connection that refused to be ignored.”
As is Pepper Winters’ MO, the writing is flawless and resplendent, the plot masterfully crafted, and wowza do the emotionally and sensually charged encounters scorch the senses! While the book moves at a leisurely pace, I found the blend of nail-biting plot twists, palpable emotion, gripping suspense, gut-wrenching angst and PRIMAL erotic interludes to be beyond riveting! This novel is not dark like the author’s other tales, but there are some harrowing scenes that I found incredibly disturbing—and repulsive— and may trigger some sensitive readers. And as the book finally builds to a pulse pounding crescendo and I slowly but surely began to connect the dots, I still was not prepared for a mind-blowing cliffy that was PURE TORTURE and made my blood run cold!
BOTTOM LINE:
THE BODY PAINTER is a hauntingly beautiful and brilliant kaleidoscope of sheer splendor that captures your heart, slays your soul and leaves you GASPING FOR MORE! Can’t freaking wait for the heart-gripping conclusion, THE LIVING CANVAS!
A MUST READ!
I am in awww and in over my head and still reeling from how great this book was. I am so enamored with Gil and Olin, two very very damaged souls each in their own ways.
Olin has a determination to break Gil’s walls and to try and understand where all that anger is coming from. Despite the circumstances that separated them, she still loves him after so many years apart. When they accidentally meet up again by her answering an add in the paper and comes to find out that Gil is the painter, she wants this job pretty bad and no only because it makes her closer to Gil but because she desperately needs a job.
The complexity in which this book was written will leave you hopeless and wanting more. Ms. Peppers has done such an amazing job with this story, but that doesn’t surprise me because she is such a talented writer and her stories will always leave you wondering when we get to the end and she leaves us with the biggest cliffhanger EVER!
I love this author and each and every story is unique and so worth reading!
“If you knew me, you’d run from me.” His voice thickened. “You should run. Please, God. Run.”
GOD, I’ve been waiting for this book for too long!!! I even embarrassingly stalked Pepper until the ARC reached my Kindle. LOL
In the past, she wrote that this was one of her darkest duets, and I’ll admit I was worried. But around 50% I thought: “This is it? What exactly is dark in here?!?”
Until, suddenly… BOOM!!!!
Everything exploded like only Pepper Winters knows- and I was left gaping, trying to catch my breath!
“Kiss me?
Love me?
Now die for me.
I’m sorry….”
I love Pepper’s writing style. Her special characters and gloriously broken men (that makes you want to pounce and jump them at the same time!), her original story lines that keep you awake until the wee hours of the night and her ability to tell a story full of suspense and sexiness that includes lots of details- and each one matters… “The Body Painter” is no different.
“You are in my mouth, up my nose, in my fucking blood. I need to see you. I want you as broken as you’ve made me.”
This book was everything Pepper promised us, and more… Well, I had no doubt, but I’m glad I was right- the long wait was so worth it!
And the end…? It Killed Me! KILLED ME! Can’t wait to find out what happens next!!!
So sit tight and get ready for a CRAZY ride!
***I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.***
“Something unique and special and absolutely terrifying.”
“Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me. I see paintings or drawings in the poorest cottages, in the dirtiest corners. And my mind is driven towards these things with an irresistible momentum.”—Vincent Van Gogh (This quote taken from the last two sentences of Epigraph before the book.)
In her indomitable writing style, Pepper Winters spins a dark twisted tale of star-crossed lovers filled with tension, angst, “look-away” moments, and mystery. And…of course, sizzling, intense erotic moments that steal away your breath, if not, your heart. This book is the beginning of a heartbreaking story that no one can guess where it’s going. I suspect some readers are miffed with the huge “cliffy” at the end. I do not feel this way because a “cliffy” is half the fun of reading your favorite author; imagining in your mind to where it will all lead and being surprised if you are right…or wrong. And the sheer fact that this story does linger and has this impact is testimony to the author’s power behind her pen. It is never the usual fare with Ms. Winters!
The character development is painstakingly constructed through the presentation of events 7 years in the past and the present day. It is told from the dual viewpoints of Gil, the dark male protagonist, and Olin, the female protagonist. The past is detailed to us only from the viewpoint of Gil which is telling in its own way if you think about this.
Gil is a complex character who really isn’t written to be very likable. He is written to tell us of consequences of a person’s evil deeds…and perhaps his own. That he loves Olin is made obvious in the beautiful words in his heart and put in his mouth at times by the author. He left Olin after they fell in love in school and now he is adamant that she stays away from him because she is in danger. Yet, Olin senses her one true love is suffering and she is determined to help.
“Gil was complex. He had secrets and tempers and love that didn’t make sense, but beneath all that complexity was utter simplicity. He needed me as much as I needed him. He always had. And that broke me into a million pieces because he’d torn us apart to survive without each other and look at what we’d become.” – Olin
Olin has her own sorrows to bear but she is determined to make it through. The abuses she suffered as a youth were different than those suffered by Gil and her history may explain her determination to keep trying to get through to Gil despite being rejected over and over again. I disagree with those who say she is written as a weak character. We meet her in the present still surviving despite the fact that she lost her love and the ability to do the one thing she loved…to dance. Answering the ad of The Body Painter as she was desperately looking for a job is how they reunite.
“You’re so strong. Strong enough to push me away, even when I tell you you’re in danger. Strong enough to give me everything you have, all because you’re selfless. Strong enough to forgive me, even though I’m the reason you’re in trouble.” His nose nuzzled mine. “I need to know how you can do all that, endure everything you have, and still be good…because I…I’m really fucking struggling.” – Gil
These two characters are developed through an intricate plot that leaves the reader stunned and constantly guessing along with Olin…
“Stop trying to connect dots that aren’t there, Olin.” – Gil
This is neither a quick or light read. It is however a worthwhile read. I personally am on tether hooks anxiously awaiting the next book. I have no doubt that Pepper Winters has some literary magic up her sleeve. She has certainly set the stage with this dark, inventive, surprising…no shocking story.
I recommend this experience to lovers of romance…keep in mind it is erotic and darker.
“The air crackled and wept around us, full of regret and remorse. Regret for what? Remorse for who?” – Olin (This particular sentence caught my attention for its sheer beauty. Pepper Winters is such a great writer!)
Heartbreak. Young love. A dark secret that tore them apart. The end was just the beginning. A heartbroken girl who lost her dream moves home again, only to face starvation and eviction when she can’t find work. Until an add for a body painter comes up and she jumps at the chance for work. Even if she does not meet all the requirements. Enter the body painter, who just happens to be the boy that broke her heart and destroyed the life she dreamed they would have. Of course he still hates her. He wants her to leave. He still holds a secret. A secret he will do anything to protect her from. Even at the cost of his own heart. But he never could resist her. Their connection is still there. The lust is overpowering and no matter how many times he tells her to stay away, he does not have it in him to not give in. Just once. That’s what they all say! Once will never be enough. Until it all comes crashing down on them and an end you never could have imagined will destroy them. If they let it.
This ends on a cliffhanger, so be forewarned! I loved every minute of it and cannot wait for the final book!
I can’t belive im rating this book 3.5 stars yes that’s right just 3.5 stars. After all the anticipation leading up to this book, I’m a little floored that I couldn’t rate it any higher. In saying that I enjoyed the book, just didn’t love the book.
This is Gil and Olin’s story, one that ends in a cliffy.
Will I read the second installment? Hell yeah as I’m guessing that Pepper has left all the goodies for the next book.
YAAAASSSSS!!!!! I really loved this one! PEPPER IS BACK! OMG I wasnt expecting a certain scene to happen, but since I have no limits I went into this blind. I was even avoiding teasers etc. Im so glad that the entire book wasn’t past/present alternating chapters. I think this one worked very well in that format. Pepper knows how to write some tortured heroes, and I feel for Gil! I just hope Olin finds out! And those last 2 pages, its a cliffy I’m sure to remember when book 2 hits.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Every time Pepper Winters announces a new book, It makes my day, my week and my month.
The Body Painter did not disappoint, it is in a league of its own.
I was captivated from the very first page and I couldn’t put it down until….. UNTIL I read those dreaded words at the end…. “The final conclusion- pre-order here”
It had it all – mystery, angst, intrigue and needless to say that it was completely captivating.
Go in blind, you won’t regret it!
I started this book and only had a vague idea on what it was about and holy wow did it take on a ride. This book had me hooked from the start and it had enough mystery and suspense to keep me reading until the end. I NEED the rest of Gil and Olins story, I need their final story.
Every time I begin one of Pepper Winter’s stories that is the first book in a duet or series, I prepare myself for the inevitable twists and turns that will take place as well as love/hate relationships that I’ll have with the hero and heroine due to their thoughts, words, and actions, and after finishing The Body Painter, the beginning of Olin Moss and Gilbert Clark’s story, I can honestly say that I’m left quite conflicted with how the storyline played out, the reasons behind their breakup as teens, and the mercurial behavior of both main characters.
Over the course of the story, readers learn about Olin and Gil’s past through a series of flashbacks told strictly from Gil’s point of view, and because he is the catalyst of the events that break both of their hearts, I felt his perspective would give a more accurate account of what happened seven years ago. But I will say that I would have liked to have gotten even just a little bit of Olin’s circumstances, especially the horrific even that forced her to reshape her life yet again.
The present day chapters are told by Olin, which also works well because even though it was a twist of fate that brought Gil back into her life, the fact that she remains a part of it, even when he doesn’t want her to, stems from her need to understand what happened all those years ago as well as what kind of trouble Gil seems to be in now. Once again, I felt like this was a good decision on Pepper Winter’s part to utilize Olin’s perspective, but in some ways, not allowing Gil’s internal thoughts and/or an explanation for why he did what he did and continues to do what he does could skew readers’ perspective on who Gil truly is and why he continues to destroy any chance he may have to be with the woman he’s always loved.
The part of the plot line that I struggled with the most is the series of events that force Gil to break all ties with Olin. It seemed a bit too extreme and there didn’t feel like there was a foundation to the conflict, at least not in the way that could seamlessly move the story line forward. I didn’t understand where it fit in the big picture or the reason it occurred in the first place.
It’s clear that readers are supposed to see Olin as a wholesome and kind girl who positively affects those around her, bringing light to those who need it, especially one person in particular – Gil. Those attributes are portrayed extremely well throughout the story, but I do feel that some readers will take issue with the fact that she chooses to remain in Gil’s life in the present even as he works like hell to get rid of her, treating her horribly and using her body for his release. It is easy to recognize just how connected Olin feels to Gil despite their time apart and the type of person she is won’t allow her to give up on him or herself, but he is so callus with her feelings and so matter-of-fact with the harsh words he slings at her that I wanted her to walk away or at least attempt to so that Gil understands there’s much more at stake that he realizes now that Olin’s reentered his life.
There are a number of reasons as to why this tortured and scarred man finds himself undeserving, and while readers are only privy to some of them, it’s clear that the layers this man has are extensive. And because of the secrets Gil still holds and his hot and cold demeanor he has whenever Olin is in his space points to the idea that there is so much we still don’t know about him – information that we desperately need before we can truly decide if he’s a lost cause, like he thinks he is, or if there’s a chance that he can do the impossible and make amends while still protecting everything and everyone that’s important to him.
I’m definitely eager for the continuation of Olin and Gil’s story to be released; I need the secrets to be revealed and the holes in the plot line to be filled in, and even though I have a feeling that Pepper Winters is going to make both her characters and her readers suffer a bit before all the cards are laid out, as long as everything ties back around and makes sense given all that’s occurred, I’ll call it a win.
4 Poison Apples
Nail-biting, will-they-won’t-they with palpable emotions and vivid details. Pepper Winters never fails to make me succumb to rollercoaster feelings.
Some parts felt repetitive, what with two such headstrong characters, and the angst was too drawn out for me at times with these two going around in circles. I wanted to love this so bad however couldn’t.
Olin is back in England after her dream of dancing is over. She’s desperate and responds to an add for a model for a painter. She runs into her ex lover Gil and things get really messed up. The couple were together in high school until Gil left without explanation. Gil has some messed up secrets in his past and he’s become cold and indifferent. Olin kept coming back for more and I wanted to throw my kindle sometimes with her doormat ways. I will give her the will of steel and stubbornness to get what she wants in life. I plan on reading the second book because this one ends on a cliff hanger and I have to find out what happens with this couple.
I received a copy of this book and am leaving a review.
Bloody hell! Never mind Master of Trickery… Pepper Winters is officially the Master of secrets and suspense, galloping hearts and high blood pressure! For the past two days, I have barely functioned!!
Just when I thought The Ribbon duet couldn’t be beaten for keeping me up at night she goes and proves me wrong!!
I have lost track the amount of times I have shouted at my kindle, wanted to reach in and grab Gil by his shirt and shake the ever loving **** out of him for being so cryptic, so secretive and cagey. I too like Olin wanted to walk away on many occasions as this book was pulling me under but like her I also couldn’t. Pepper is one of the most dedicated and talented authors I have read. Her ability to deliver a story, to hook you early and keep you there is a testimonial to that talent. Her stories will stay with you until the end of time. They are unique, original and totally consuming!
I have no idea where this story is going, I couldn’t even begin to guess. All I know is that I will be waiting eagerly and impatiently for part 2!
If you don’t read anything else this year, just read this!
What a thrilling and psychologically satisfying story that will have super intrigued. Gil and Olin. The Body Painter and the Girl who rediscovers her 1st love.
Heartbreak. Mystery. Passion. Heat. Forbidden Romance. Angst. Thriller. Betrayal. Cliffhanger Ending.
This was one rollercoaster ride of a story that had me rooting for the main characters even when I didn’t have the whole story yet that ending- that cliffhanger- OMG!!! I can’t wait for book 2. I’m dying to find out what becomes of Olin and Gil’s romance and their relationship after that ending. What a romantic suspense read.
My Rating: 4.5 stars *******
I’ve been waiting for this one and for good reason! This is definitely a darker theme that will have you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what’s going to happen next. Throw in a suspense element mixed in with true love and the ultimate sacrifice, you won’t be able to put it down. The ending will have you begging Pepper Winters for book 2 NOW!
This is a hard review for me to write, the simple fact is that I liked the book I just didn’t love it. I am a fan of Pepper Winters and have LOVED everything of hers I have read but for some reason I just couldn’t connect with Gil and Olin, now I have to mention that there is A LOT going on in my real life right now that may be interfering with the ability to really dig my teeth in or it could be my head space right now isn’t what is needed for this darker read. But as I said I did like the book, just didn’t love it.
Gil and Olin were high school sweethearts for a lack of a better term, they were young and in love. She had a semi hard life and his life totally blew, I mean it seriously couldn’t get much worse. They had found solace in each other until they didn’t and now several years later they are thrown into one another’s paths again but this time fate was much, much crueler.
I enjoyed the flash backs between the present and the past. I loved the little nicknames Gil had for Olin, just about every animal or fruit that started with the letter “O”, and I enjoyed the story line. One thing that I didn’t like was that there is no warning of sexual abuse anywhere from what I have seen and there is a scene that happens right there on page so I feel there should have been some warning about it. Yes we know with dark romances, dark reads that there is sometimes non-con/dubious/rape but usually if it happens on the page there is a warning about it. So consider this your warning.
This book ends on a cliffhanger, which I had figured out long before the ending, so I am looking forward to reading the next book, THE LIVING CANVAS, to see how things play out and see if Gil and Olin will somehow, someway get their HEA.
I would recommend this book to lovers of the dark romance genre.
Happy Reading!!!
The Body Painter is the first book in the Master of Trickery duet. Pepper Winters is one of my favorites. An automatic one-click author for me. Every book, I soak up her words and fall in love.
Gilbert and Olin went to the same high school. Their lives were very different. Olin was popular and he was far from it. She had friends when he had none. He watched and studied her from a distance. The more he learned about her the harder he fell. He daydreamed about her for so long he never thought his fantasy would become a reality. They became friends. Eventually falling for one another but never revealing how they truly felt. They were inseparable until Gilbert was forced to make a decision. One that would destroy him to protect the girl he loves.
“No past. No history. You’re nothing more than a canvas and I’m nothing more than a painter. That’s it. That’s all there can ever be.”
Amazing read! I didn’t want to put it down. I’m dying to know what’s going to happen next in The Living Canvas. Thank goodness we don’t have to wait much longer.