Derek

Hel's Ink - Extended, Book 4

De: DJ Krimmer

Narrado por: Mollie Stark, Joe Arden

"My house is a mess, my underwear is mixing with hers in the laundry, and my safe, quiet haven now smells of burnt candles and her."

Indy

Being the founder of a non-profit and keeping it going is my only focus right now. I don't have time for distraction–men, my health, my friends–all of it takes a back seat to me keeping this going. I've lived by other people's rules for too long, I am ready to break out on my own, and I'll prove to everyone I can do it. The Crown Project helps sick children and their families find some happiness during hard times, and I am committed to making it happen. If I can't have my own, I'll give someone else a fairytale. The only man I'd want is off-limits to me anyway. He's the meanest, grumpiest, and, unfortunately, the sexiest man I know. He also works with my brother. So there's that. I'll always be a supporting character, never the princess. My life just won't let me. It's impossible.

Derek

Without routine and order, the only thing left is chaos. Chaos leaves room for disorder and unhappiness. And that leads to betrayal. Never again will I allow that to happen. I am steady, focused, and at the top of my game as a tattoo artist at Hel's Ink. I am established, successful, and there is nothing that happens in my life that I don't allow. And then there is Indy. She is inescapable - a whirlwind of kindness and beauty and goodness. Everything about her is impossible. Left with no choice but to help her out of a challenging situation. I soon regret my decision and the insanity that comes with it. I let her in. Into my home and my life. But never– never- into my heart. There's no such thing as fairytales, and love stories don't really exist. But when everything changes, I wonder if maybe I've found a little piece of chaos I can live with.

©2024 DJ Krimmer (P)2025 DJ Krimmer

This one shot right through my heart!!

Story - ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Spice - 🌶 🌶 🌶
Narration - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Derek is book #4 in the Hel's Ink series and maybe my favorite. While this story deals with serious issues, I found myself laughing at all the banter between the main characters, the Hel's ink family, and Derek's family in Virginia. My wheel of emotions definitely went around full circle. Derek was burned in his past by his ex-wife and best friend and vowed to never get close enough to anyone to get hurt again. Indie fights her inner "darkness" to not feel like a burden to everyone while trying to fully function with Multiple Sclerosis. There is darkness to this story, lightness to this story, and eventually some super smoking spice. And yes, we get all the Hel's Ink family involved with this story, too. This is an age-gap, grumpy/sunshine standalone, but this series is definitely best read in order. I sure hope there will be stories on Derek's family...those boys are hilarious!

The narration was fantastic. Joe Arden and Mollie Stark were perfect to voice Derek (grumpy, broody loner) and Indie (sunshine, thoughtful and caring). 5/5 stars!

DJ never misses!

Another 5 star book for what is now one of my favorite series!! Derek and Indy’s story was absolute perfection and the performances were some of my favorite ever. Joe Arden’s portrayal of Derek was unlike anything I’ve ever heard from him. This was my first time hearing Mollie Stark but it’s INSTALOVE for me !! I need more Mollie in my ears asap!!

Oh, this one!

Oh, this one!
Derek by DJ Krimmer was a take-no-prisoner heartwrenching audiobook to listen to.
When I say heart-wrenching.
Grab yourself a box of tissues and roll with the audio. SO GOOD!
I cried and laughed and at some points, I might have cursed as Derek a few times in my head. Then in my next breath, I was swooning like a fool over him.

Joe Arden and Mollie Stark's narration was incredible. They elevated this audiobook to a whole new level.

Loved it

I really enjoyed the banter which had me laughing out loud . Indy is a breath of fresh air. Some good steamy parts too ! Wow!

Love DJs work

Absolutely fantastic listen, you cannot not like Indie, might get annoyed with Derek, but he is my top 2 favorite from Hels ink. You will not regret getting this amazing book and narration is perfection!

Soooo good

Joe and Molly hit it out of the park!! Read the book and the audio made it so much better!!

Derek

Loved grumpy Derek so much. The story was good and emotional.

The narration even better, Joe Arden can read my CVS receipt and I'd still drool.

5 ⭐️ | 3 🌶️ | 🎧book Highly Recommended (Joe Arden & Mollie Stark = PERFECTION)

OMG. This book wrecked me in the best way possible. DJ Krimmer, you genius, you emotional wizard—Derek is the kind of love story that hugs your heart, squeezes it a little too hard, and then whispers, “But wait… here’s some spice to soften the blow.”

Let’s talk about Indy—queen behavior, okay? Diagnosed with MS at 22, she’s been fighting invisible battles for three years while running a non-profit for hospitalized kids and trying her best to keep smiling while her body betrays her. She’s sassy, independent, and battling a chorus of inner demons telling her she’s “too much” or “not enough”—and honestly? She’s a hero. A real one.

Then there’s Derek. The mysterious, broody Virginian cowboy-turned-tattoo-artist with a slow drawl and a soul full of heartache. After discovering his wife and best friend were extra close (yep, that kind of betrayal), he moved cross-country and built walls around himself taller than the Hollywood sign. And let me tell you—watching those walls come down for Indy? It’s a slow-burn, soft, tender, toe-curling masterpiece.

Together, these two navigate love in the shadow of illness, heartbreak, and mental health struggles. It’s not just swoony—it’s real. The kind of real that shows the beauty in vulnerability and strength in softness. Oh, and let’s not forget the age gap spice—YES PLEASE.

This book is romantic, raw, and resilient. It made me cry, made me smile, and made me believe that even the most broken hearts can find their forever penguin.

Run, don’t walk—grab this book. And for the love of all things steamy and sentimental, listen to the audiobook. Joe Arden and Mollie Stark? Chef’s kiss.

BEST AUDIOBOOK I’VE EVER LISTENED TO!

I’ve got hundreds of romance audiobooks I’ve listened to, and this is by far my favorite of them all. The narrators and story are perfection. If I’m laughing out loud and also tearing up through the entire audiobook and start listening to it again the same day I finish it…that’s a winner in my book.

I have lupus and a gazillion other autoimmune diseases, and to say the author captured all that would encompass living with MS, or a severe chronic and often invisible illness, is an understatement. I don’t know how she knows it so well, but I’m grateful she put the effort into putting this story out into the universe. A huge thank you to the author for not only giving me an escape, but uplifting me and reminding me what’s possible despite living with chronic illness when I so desperately needed it.

This series keeps getting better

Fourth in the series and stands alone quite well, you get to see others that have come before, but are never overwhelmed with info. There have been appearances by our main characters in previous books, so going back would give more foundation and allow for a greater payoff on their HEA.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, my heart just aches for every single character that DJ Krimmer introduces us to. When we get the stories behind why they are the way they are, what past events or injuries or emotional scars have formed the whole person, it just makes me want to cuddle them and never let them hurt ever again.

Derek is grumpy AF and Indy is positivity personified, but both are masks that hide emotional baggage. The way Indy goes out of her way to not be a bother or a burden hurts my heart. She has a very intense, and inconsistent, disability in her MS, but she pushes through every day trying to be what everyone else needs in a way that still allows her to feel like she's valuable. The way that Derek wants to take care of her without admitting he cares FOR her... these two took a long time to come together but once they do, it's so rewarding.

The audiobook was performed in duet style by Mollie Stark and Joe Arden. They performed these roles so well. I love an audiobook that can break my mask and make me react. From giggles and laughs, to tears multiple times, to talking back to the characters when they needed a dose of reality, this story and the voices performing it made me react. I wanted to do it all over again when I finished.

I requested and was provided with an advanced copy of the audiobook. These are my honest opinions.