Author and Editor Chloe Higgins renders me speechless with her latest novel Blood Ink!
You can find more on the author Chloe Higgins down below my book tease!
Book Rating: 5 Mic Drops!
Blood Ink is a fresh and heart-wrenching take on boy bands and fans that love them.
'Blood Ink' by Chloe Higgins compelled me to look up way more information about boy bands, especially K-pop bands, and I am all the better for it.
The novel opens featuring Remi who just got laid off from her retail job, and is struggling to make it work as an author in the bustling, go-getter city of Los Angeles. I think we can all relate to the panic of being left jobless, however, Remi's best friend and roommate, Ava has her back.
Ava is an insatiable fan of the boy band, Blood Ink, and has the biggest crush on the main singer: Gray Wilder.
[Gray's] amazing, Rem. You wouldn't understand because you're not a fan like I am, but he's just...different.....I just know he's a good person."
Higgins Chapter 2: You Got It.
So the foreshadowing is SET!
Ava helps Remi apply for some new jobs, and together they found one for a Personal Assistant for an up-and-coming singer.
I can't let myself fall, I remind myself. I need to do this.
Higgins Chapter 1: Feeling Lost
This small snippet of quote shows how determined our protagonist Remi is. She isn't going to wallow in self-pity or give up and move back to her hometown. She is here to succeed and she will do whatever it takes.
Only, of course, it's soon revealed that this singer isn't up-and-coming at all, the singer is the bad-boy main singer: Gray Wilder!
The manager, Lucy, at the interview, asked the one question that matters, most and of course it sets up the entire conflict going forward.
"Are you able to separate work and personal life?"
"Absolutely," I say nod nodding my head.
Higgins Chapter 2: You Got it
Remi got the job.
Now here is where it gets scintillating, Blood Ink doesn't take us on the normal journey of bad-boy meets girl, bad-boy instantly falls for girl, bad-boy goes good to win girl over.
Gray doesn't instantally fall for Remi, and she doesn't instantly fall for him either.
"I don't need a f*cking assistant, Lucky. I know you're trying to make [Remi] my baby sitter and I don't need one." [Gray said].
Higgins Chapter 3: New Job
OUCH. Talk about being told that on your first day of work!
Yet, Remi is drawn to him despite being rude and disheveled, and she especially admires his tattoos.
My eyes travel over the shapes in permanent ink, but I'm able to make out the specific designs because my heart stutters at the sight of his bright emerald eyes.
Higgins Chapter 3: New Job
When Remi begins to have doubt about Gray, and just how much of a good person he could possibly be, Ava reminds her that we all have our bad days, and that perhaps Gray's life isn't as sunshine and rainbows as we all think of celebrities' lives can be.
What I love about this novel and the story that's being portrayed, is that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
Both the main character Remi, and the bad-boy love interest Gray learn not to judge others.
As I've become more and more engrossed in the story, Remi realizes that there is more to Gray than his outbursts and his bad boy persona:
"[Gray] talks about you all the time....He's just trying to get used to having you around. He's not used to someone being so close to his life." [Bronson chuckles]
Higgins Chapter 9: Show Time
And in turn, Gray realizes that there is more to Remi than just her strict PA role, and that she isn't trying to control or infantilize him:
"Your eyes are the color of rain falling on a warm summer afternoon." [Gray shrugs]
Higgins Chapter 7: Damage Control
This novel is a total binge-read because right as you think the characters are going to do one thing, they do something completely different. I couldn't predict what was going to happen next!
How will Remi handle her growing feelings towards Gray, and keep her hard-working professional attitude towards her job?
How will Gray learn to let someone in, and be honest about his own feelings?
What will happen when an unexpected person comes back into their lives?
Will Gray's antics drive Remi away, or will Remi's hesitancy cost her an opportunity of a lifetime?
For an incredibly guilty pleasure, read 'Blood Ink' by Chloe Higgins RIGHT NOW on either Webnovel, Dreame, or iReader!!!
Now: My exclusive author interview with Chloe Higgins!
1) Which part of your book was the most fun to write?
The most fun... if I'm being honest, definitely Grays POV because I enjoyed being able to write Gray's confliction when it comes to Remi, which comes from trauma that stems from his childhood.
It's almost like a tug-o-war within himself on whether he can trust her and let her into his life. It's not something I've written before, so I enjoyed being able to write a complex personality.
2) How did you do your research for this book?
I don't know if I'd call it research perse, but rather being a fan of bands and singers for many years and learning a lot from documentaries about what it's like living in the public eye as a famous person.
This kind of lifestyle has always been an interest of mine, which is why I think I was so drawn to write this kind of story. If I hadn't watched those types of documentaries - the lives of Whitney Houston, Heath Ledger, and Elvis just to name a few - over the years I'm not sure I would've been able to write such a world for my characters.
This way of life can be tragic for some, so I wanted to make sure that wasn't the case for Gray. I wanted him to have the strength to see the light at the end of the tunnel, which happens to be Remi.
3) How do you balance your time between writing and other aspects of your life?
I will admit that it's difficult sometimes to balance both writing and editing with everyday things I typically do. I would like to think I have it down pat by just reminding myself that I need to get this done, but sometimes I'm struck down randomly with the inability to be creative, which can be stressful at times.
But I also think that pressure helps me perform better when I need it to. I'm hoping in the future I'll have a better understanding of how to balance everything out evenly, but I'm still learning as of now!
About the author:
Chloe is an indie author living in Wollongong, Australia. She has written three books with a fourth in the works with eGlobal Creative Publishing, and she is also a content editor which has been a dream of hers for many years. She has had one of her books be translated into three different languages: Indonesian, Portuguese, and Spanish, which is a major achievement for her. She is passionate about helping other indie authors put their work into the world whether it's by offering writing tips and advice, or editing manuscripts.
Chloe enjoys reading romance novels and has since she was fifteen years old when she bought her first romance influenced YA book 'The Kissing Booth', which led to reading more spicier novels over the years. Her favourite authors are Anna Todd, Colleen Hoover, Jay Crownover, and Christina Lauren. These authors have greatly influenced her love of romance in both what she reads and how she writes.
Chloe hopes to one day in the near future produce a self published book because she enjoys the process of doing everything herself, and hopes that other authors will do the same because it'll be a rewarding project to complete.
Thank you again for reading, and as always, Embrace the Paper Hurricane!