Fans pick 100 books like Tattooed Heart

By Mica Rae,

Here are 100 books that Tattooed Heart fans have personally recommended if you like Tattooed Heart. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Destroyed

Stacy Kristen Author Of Jax: An Age Gap, Second Chance at Love MC Romance

From my list on unforgettable spicy romance reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an indie romance author obsessed with all things romance, the spicier the better! I’m all about the happy ending, so all my books feature a happy ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN).

Stacy's book list on unforgettable spicy romance reads

Stacy Kristen Why did Stacy love this book?

Although this is book 4, I recommend starting with the first book of the series. I chose this book because it ended the American Street Kings with a bang and it’s my favorite out of all the books in the series, even though it’s super dark (readers should note the trigger warnings). Throughout the book, there were so many twists and turns that I wasn’t sure how, or even if, Ink and Neon would get their happy ever after (HEA).

By Bella J,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Destroyed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Her revenge starts...now.

Rage. It’s toxic. It poisons you. Corrupts you. Smothers your heart until it no longer beats.
You can’t run from it. There’s no escape. Once it seizes control, it won’t stop until revenge bleeds the tears of justice.

The day he took her, he destroyed my humanity, turning me into a bloodthirsty savage. Now, I’m driven by my hunger to see the snake bleed. To hear his screams and relish his cries.

He should have known she wasn’t his to take. By touching her, he dared the beast, sealing his fate to breathe his last breath while…


Book cover of Filthy Crown

Stacy Kristen Author Of Jax: An Age Gap, Second Chance at Love MC Romance

From my list on unforgettable spicy romance reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an indie romance author obsessed with all things romance, the spicier the better! I’m all about the happy ending, so all my books feature a happy ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN).

Stacy's book list on unforgettable spicy romance reads

Stacy Kristen Why did Stacy love this book?

This book was the first work I’ve ever read by this author, and to say I was blown away is an understatement! It’s an age-gap romance with daddy kink. That being said, I don’t normally read daddy kink, but it didn’t take away from how good the book was. It actually made it spicier, which I loved!

By Eleanor Aldrick,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Filthy Crown as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

JACK

Tragedy strikes, again.

Four years after suffering the loss of our parents, our brother is murdered right alongside his beautiful wife, the devastation leaving their three children orphaned.

Not only have I lost my brother but now I’m forced to take on his two kids and seventeen-year-old stepdaughter, Penelope.

But Pen is far from the little girl I remember. No. She’s all woman, with soft curves and plush lips—all things I shouldn’t be noticing.

I have three months before she turns eighteen. Three months before she leaves for college. And three months to make sure whatever threat against her…


Book cover of Naked

Stacy Kristen Author Of Jax: An Age Gap, Second Chance at Love MC Romance

From my list on unforgettable spicy romance reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an indie romance author obsessed with all things romance, the spicier the better! I’m all about the happy ending, so all my books feature a happy ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN).

Stacy's book list on unforgettable spicy romance reads

Stacy Kristen Why did Stacy love this book?

I read this book because it was recommended to me by a friend. And I’m glad I did. It sucked me in and I literally read the entire collection in less than a week. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down! I rarely reread books, but this series might get me to do just that! It’s a truly enjoyable read.

By Raine Miller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Naked as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Brynne Bennett is living the good life. An American art student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she's putting her life back on track with school and lots of hard work. When ultra-successful London businessman Ethan Blackstone buys her nude portrait, he isn't taking 'no' for an answer. He wants Brynne in his bed and has no problem voicing his desires to her. His dominant nature captivates and ensnares her despite the demons she carries around. But there are secrets in this relationship. Huge ones. Can Ethan free Brynne from the past that has marked her? Will…


Book cover of Reckless Heir

Stacy Kristen Author Of Jax: An Age Gap, Second Chance at Love MC Romance

From my list on unforgettable spicy romance reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an indie romance author obsessed with all things romance, the spicier the better! I’m all about the happy ending, so all my books feature a happy ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN).

Stacy's book list on unforgettable spicy romance reads

Stacy Kristen Why did Stacy love this book?

This book intrigued me from the start, as it has an arranged marriage trope involving the Bratva and the Cosa Nostra mafia. As soon as I read the blurb, I was like, ‘Won’t they just kill each other and be done with it?’ But alas, no. The main character is a pawn between the two entities and the author intertwines the plot beautifully, creating one amazing book.

By Jenika Snow,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Reckless Heir as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*A top 35 Amazon bestseller*

From USA Today bestselling author Jenika Snow comes a new full-length standalone arranged marriage mafia romance set in the Underworld Kings world that blurs the lines between right and wrong.

My father sold me off to a ruthless killer in the Russian mafia, an alliance between the Bratva and the Cosa Nostra.

An arranged marriage where I’d be at the mercy of the man who’d no doubt see me as his property, where I was sure he’d be just as cruel and violent as every other Made Man I’d known in my life.

Nikolai Petrov,…


Book cover of Sweet

Kate Berberich Author Of Picture Imperfect

From my list on unpredictable protagonists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m going to date myself horribly here, but…I’m an old-school fan of the guy in the grey hat. Think Kerr Avon of Blake’s 7. The guy you could never quite predict. Or Han Solo until about halfway through The Empire Strikes Back. Are they going to do the right thing? Are they going to follow their heart? And it’s so satisfying when they do! Of course, it’s equally satisfying when they go right ahead and sucker punch the bad guy, ‘cuz hey—only the good guys give warnings, right?

Kate's book list on unpredictable protagonists

Kate Berberich Why did Kate love this book?

Sweet is a novella set in the universe of Love Stories on 7th and Main. A friend recommended it to me and I gobbled up the whole series in a week or two.

Spider Villalobos settled in Metlin to escape life in a gang. When his past catches up with him, which choice will he make? Run away? Return to the gang? Or follow his heart?

I love this entire series because the town of Metlin is so vividly detailed. The characters feel like people I’d like to know, and I definitely want to go browse in INK or grab a slice of pie from Café Maya!

By Elizabeth Hunter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sweet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sweet is a standalone romance novella from USA Today Bestselling author, Elizabeth Hunter.

He survived by always being in control. She’s about to make him melt.

It’s 2004, and Daisy Rivera knows two things: she’s going to end up disappointing her parents’ fondest hopes and dreams in roughly six months, and somehow she’s going to figure out how to kiss the mysterious tattoo artist two shops down from her grandmother’s cafe that everyone calls Spider.

Spider Villalobos knows one thing: if he gives into temptation and makes a move on Daisy, his fresh start is over.

Their shops may be…


Book cover of Drive Me Wild

Amy Ewing Author Of The Irish Goodbye

From my list on romance that made me fall in love with romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started my journey as an author writing YA fantasy books—then the pandemic came, publishing collapsed for a moment, and I found myself at a loss of what sort of author I wanted to be. YA didn’t call to me as it once did—and I was struggling as many of us were then. Then I found romance—it healed me, brought joy and hope back into my life, and made me love writing in a new and powerful way. The Irish Goodbye is my debut adult romance, and I hope to keep writing in this genre for many years! 

Amy's book list on romance that made me fall in love with romance

Amy Ewing Why did Amy love this book?

Melanie is one of my favorite indie authors, and this book is full of crackling heat and delicious tension! I was fanning myself as I read it—the descriptions are luscious, and the attraction between the hero and heroine is palpable.

The pairing of a tattooed mechanic who helps a debutante on the run from her oppressive family grabbed my attention from the first page. This story has so much fantastic humor, a small town I wished was real, and a host of amazing secondary characters. 

By Melanie Harlow,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Drive Me Wild as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Come Back

Deanna Grey Author Of Outdrawn

From my list on sapphic romance with characters finding their place.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved writing that explores mental health and its effect on finding love. I love characters who are their worst enemies and conflicts stemming from internal battles. Depression and anxiety have been something I’ve struggled with since childhood. My mental health issues made looking to the future with hope feel impossible sometimes. When I picked up a romance book where an anxious character found a happily ever after, it gave me hope. Seeing characters who don’t have everything figured out and aren’t always confident in themselves find their happy endings is a light at the end of a tunnel—peace in the middle of a storm. 

Deanna's book list on sapphic romance with characters finding their place

Deanna Grey Why did Deanna love this book?

Sometimes, I crave a super sweet, short romance. Something that’ll be like a dopamine hit straight to the veins. This one was the perfect bite-size escape.

It is a second-chance romance set in a tattoo parlor after closing hours. The couple’s flaws and reasons for their breakup were realistic. They were nowhere near perfect, and that makes their happy-ever-after more beautiful. 

By Terri Ronald,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Come Back as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Two exes, an accidental run in, and one night in a tattoo shop.

It's been almost seven years since Nalo and Cori have last seen each other. Their untimely breakup sent them on their separate ways, and fear has kept them apart.

Now, with both women being in the same room with each other after so long, and after a loved one being lost, they must rehash the past and discuss what caused the rift in their relationship. But what both women have realized through it all, one thing remained the same: the love they shared.

Can their relationship make…


Book cover of Out of the Ashes

Annabel Allan Author Of Edgeplay

From my list on strong, confident female main characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I definitely wouldn’t say I’m an expert…but I definitely have a passion for the topic of dominant, strong women! Especially when it comes to kink and BDSM, but in all aspects of life. I think most readers would agree, we are sick of seeing the Damsel in Distress and want someone who can kick some serious butt. I connect strongly with those stronger, sassier characters, and aim to write the same for other readers to connect with.

Annabel's book list on strong, confident female main characters

Annabel Allan Why did Annabel love this book?

In Out of the Ashes our heroine, Jenna Morgan, is another great example of the strength needed…this time to preserver. She starts over, which can be scary, but does it with confidence. She enjoys her newfound freedom and gets a new tattoo…which leads to meeting our hero, Nate. Drama and tension ensue, Jenna proving she’s a strong, confident woman. 

By Keren Hughes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Out of the Ashes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

After the divorce from hell, Jenna Morgan swears off men. But could the town “bad boy” Nate, be the one to make her break that oath?Freeing herself from the constraints of her ex, she decides to do the one thing she always wanted to but was never allowed; get a tattoo.Nate Peterson is the town bad boy and owner of the Blank Canvas tattoo parlour. Walking into his shop could change her life forever.At a speed-dating event, Jenna meets the business-savvy lawyer, Levi. Surely it couldn’t hurt to go on one date, with both men? Conflicted by the choice, she…


Book cover of The Tattoo Murder Case

Matthew Legare Author Of Shadows of Tokyo

From my list on Japanese crime novel recommendations.

Why am I passionate about this?

As many of my novels are set in Japan, I try to read as many Japanese authors as I can. Firstly, they offer great insight into the Japanese psyche and Japanese culture, and secondly, they are extremely enjoyable reads. My main series is the Reiko Watanabe/Inspector Aizawa novels, crime thrillers set in 1930s Japan, and while only one of these books takes place during that era, I feel they all provide a great springboard into Japanese crime fiction, a genre that hopefully gains more notoriety in the West.

Matthew's book list on Japanese crime novel recommendations

Matthew Legare Why did Matthew love this book?

First published in 1948, this was one of the first Japanese crime novels that I read. It is about a beautiful, tattooed woman who is brutally murdered and dismembered. However, the piece that contained her most exquisite tattoo has gone missing. It’s up to her hapless admirer and a brilliant amateur detective to discover why she was murdered and track down the killer.

Like The Silent Dead, I enjoyed this novel mostly for its plot, taking place just after World War II, offering interesting insights into the postwar Japanese mindset.

By Akimitsu Takagi, Deborah Boehm (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Tattoo Murder Case as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Can you solve the mystery of the tattoo murder?
Tokyo, 1947. At the first post-war meeting of the Edo Tattoo Society, Kinue Nomura reveals her full-body snake tattoo to rapturous applause. Days later she is gone. A dismembered corpse is discovered in the locked bathroom of her home, but her much-coveted body art is nowhere to be found.
Kinue's horrified lover joins forces with the boy detective Kyosuke Kamizu to try to get to the bottom of the macabre crime, but similar deaths soon follow. Is someone being driven to murder by their lust for tattooed skin, and can they…


Book cover of Science Ink: Tattoos of the Science Obsessed

Eva Amsen Author Of Hey, There's Science In This: Essays about science in unexpected places

From my list on notice science in surprising places.

Why am I passionate about this?

I enjoy finding science in places where you might not expect it. Science really is everywhere. It's tempting to think of it as its own category of news or its own shelf in the bookstore. But science is a way of thinking about every aspect of the world, including our passions and daily lives. I love finding the spaces where these lines are blurred, and these books are such great examples of finding science in surprising places.

Eva's book list on notice science in surprising places

Eva Amsen Why did Eva love this book?

All scientists are different, and this book brings that home in a very fun way. It's on the shelf with art coffee table books in my house because that's essentially what it is. The book collects photos of science tattoos and descriptions of the science behind the tattoos.

Some are small, simple line drawings of molecules; others are colorful sleeves or back tattoos with intricate scenes of plants, animals, or famous textbook images. As a science writer, I meet a lot of scientists and people who love (and live) science, and this book has had me keeping an eye out for DNA molecules and other science tattoos. 

By Carl Zimmer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Science Ink as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this book, each tattoo is accompanied by a reflection on the science in question by bestselling essayist and lecturer Zimmer. Body art meets popular science in this elegant, mind-blowing collection, written by renowned science writer Carl Zimmer. Showcasing hundreds of eye-catching tattoos that pay tribute to various scientific disciplines, from evolutionary biology and neuroscience to mathematics and astrophysics, Science Ink reveals the stories of the individuals who chose to inscribe their obsessions in their skin. Best of all, each tattoo provides a leaping-off point for bestselling essayist and lecturer Zimmer to reflect on the science in question, whether it's…


Book cover of Destroyed
Book cover of Filthy Crown
Book cover of Naked

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