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“Burnett has created an unconventional and magnetic character who makes a memorable first impression.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Bodies, wrecked and loved, Wiccan handfasting, sex work, guns, watermelons, and music—lots of music—light up this thrilling nail-biter.” —Lesley Bannatyne, author of Unaccustomed

“Life was topsy-turvy in the most disturbing way.”

Watermelon Tattoo by Tony Burnett is an intriguing composite of literary and noir fiction that will definitely keep readers on their toes and wondering what could possibly happen next.

Jaqui Benderman grew up working with her dad growing melons on the Benderman Farm in south central Texas. Langley Scott has been best friends with Jaqui since childhood, but once high school is in their rearview mirror, his path sharply diverges from hers, especially after a horrific accident on the farm during the annual melon harvest and after the Watermelon Queen fiasco. Jaqui, traumatized and completely unmoored, slinks off to Austin to make it as a singer, while Langley heads to college and meets Sara. The already smokin’ story revs up even higher and pulls the reader into a dark, gritty cavern of confusion, discovery, mystery, love, and vengeance.

Tony Burnett holds all the cards in Watermelon Tattoo, stringing both the characters and the readers along a twisted literary highway of choices and consequences. While this story can be considered a coming of age, the scenes are often quite heavy, and the characters are definitely adults with plenty of attitude if not experience. Yet.

With that said, a word of caution is in order. The sexy episodes trip over the line and become quite explicit, the language often dances into the land of expletives, and drugs and alcohol frequently make an overt appearance. All of this naughtiness could be a bit much for some readers, but it does seem to fit with the plot and characterization, portraying the muddy reality of sex, drugs, and the Austin music scene. Watermelon Tattoo reflects the messiness, danger, and total train wreck of real life that can dog a person no matter where they run, how well they hide, or how hard they try to just survive. Just ask Jaqui.

The story line oscillates between Jaqui and Langley as they navigate their newfound maturity and life choices. A playlist at the beginning doubles as the table of contents, which is completely excellent. These song choices, however, are not random and correspond nicely with each chapter. After all, music is pretty much a main character all the way through.

If you are looking for a provocative story that is full of sharp edges and hardboiled characters, Watermelon Tattoo will be a compelling addition to your to-read pile. Pull up a chair, pick your poison, and find out more about this rather large tattoo of a watermelon.

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Enter the giveaway below on or before June 9, 2023, for a chance to win a signed autographed copy of Watermelon Tattoo by Tony Burnett.

I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.