Title: Skin Deep
Author: DP Denman
Genre: M/M contemporary romance
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Liam Newman escaped an abusive past to start a new life with Justin, the man of his dreams. Unfortunately, the old life refuses to stay buried. When a fan of his porn star persona appears, he’s forced to reinvent himself in a surprising new career. Will it give him the new start he craves or lead him deeper into the life he’s trying to leave behind?
Skin Deep is the second book in a series. It starts off with Liam, who escaped an abusive past, now living together with Justin, the man of his dreams. But Liam’s struggle with his past, in which he played in web porn movies, under the influence of his ex-boyfriend, hasn’t come to an end yet. He loses his job when a server recognizes him from the porn videos, and threatens to harm him with that information. After a few struggles back and forth, he realizes he has to quit, and starts to wonder if the past will ever let go of him.
The book relies heavily on characterization, and that’s where it shines. Liam is struggling, and it’s obvious from the start. He goes back and forth between the scared kid he once was, and the confident adult he tries to become. His struggle feels real, and I felt for him. It was painful at times to watch how, even despite all his efforts, things just didn’t work out. Justin was the ever-supportive boyfriend, kind of like a rock to lean on.
Liam’s journey to find himself, and to become the person he’s always wanted to be, starts at the unlikeliest of places – the place that scarred him, seemingly forever. I thought it was a strange choice, but it ultimately turned out to be the right one for him.
The writing was decent, and the characters carry the novel. Sometimes the topics are quite heavy, and this book is obviously not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. I’m not sure if this is the end for our two protagonists, but I wouldn’t mind reading more.
