Lipstick Tattoo by Julia Dovey

Bianca used to write romances before Pete made her realise how silly they were.

His poetry focuses on reality. It means something. Romances – “saccharine calls for pity from bored housewives” – have no footing in real life.

But when Louise – a sophisticated journalism student with date-purple eyes and a kiss tattoo – makes a chance reappearance, Bianca’s simple story takes an abrupt turn. Bianca is faced with two paths. One: safe, paved, and colourless. The other: a twisting, vibrant trail into the dangerous unknown.

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Reviews from Amazon

Witty, thrilling, and well paced, Dovey delivered a book I couldn't put down, and I don't even like romances. The characters and their relationships were well developed, and the self-aware pokes at the genre made this a delight. Can't wait to see what Dovey's got in store for us next. - Elizabeth

I only binge read when I REALLY enjoy what I'm reading. The prose is lovely. The characters are well written with a subtleness that allows you to draw your own conclusions without being annoyingly ambiguous or, adversely, in your face. The romance is more of a slow burn, which I personally prefer. The love scenes were beautifully written and didn't feel gratuitous at all. Combine all of that with a dash of mystery and a wee bit of thrill and you've got yourself a romance novel that you won't want to put down. - J Edwawrds

Lipstick Tattoo dramatizes in plain language what constitutes a destructive relationship and how to escape it. The novel has a well-paced plot that leaves the reader to an inevitable and satisfying resolution. Most insightful are observations on the part of the protagonist about poetry and about fiction, its genres, and the difficulties of getting published. - Lillian Kavan