Pretty good....I'm intrigued enough to go on to the next one. ( )

kinda hard to rate this. I'm going to wait for all the installments to come out before I read anything else. ( )

Finished Reading November 25, 2013

3.25 stars

Smutty and delicious.
It's amazing how easy it is to remember the stories you read the evoked strong reactions.
Whether it be anger, fear, love or 'Lord have Mercy, I need to change my panties' ( )

Easy to get through, good writing. Very descriptive. I enjoyed the odd Australian touch and it felt very naturally written. I liked the main character but found her partner difficult to relate to and all a bit wooden and unrealistic. I stuck with it and will continue the series ( )

Maya Cross had this to say about her writing: "I believe in writing familiar narratives told with a twist, so most of my stories will feel comfortable, but hopefully a little unique." I think that is an accurate assessment after having read LOCKED. The trope is tried and true and definitely familiar. You either enjoy this type of story or you don't. While I'm beginning to get turned off by trilogies that could easily be written as one complete and cohesive story, this story managed to hold my attention, and I found it more than enjoyable.

Sophia Pearce isn't a naive girl fresh out of college, she's a lawyer with ambition and spunk. A night out on the town with her girlfriends leads to a lot of drinking, and on a dare, she manages to sneak into what appears to be an exclusive event for some very wealthy patrons where she captures the attention of Sebastian Lock. Before anyone has time to figure out that she's a party crasher, she tries to hightail it out of there, but gets lost and ends up in Sebastian's office. Her snooping is interrupted when Sebastian shows up and he's not alone. Huddled in his closet, she witnesses him punishing his secretary for her previous interruption. Sophia is shocked to discover that she's aroused by what she's seen. If she thought she could put her drunken adventure behind her and forget all about it, Sebastian is about to show her how wrong she is.

This was a nice change from the usual naive, inexperienced heroines who manage to get tangled up by a rich CEO hero with dominant tendencies. Sophia knows about kink and BDSM, she's just never had the opportunity to try it.

“You want this Sophia, you want to do more than just watch, and I’m going to be the one that shows you.”


When she crosses paths with Sebastian, she's physically attracted to him, and it's apparent that he wants her too. Sophia knows what she wants, and a no-strings attached sexual relationship sounds perfect. But where she wants exclusivity, Sebastian is not a fan of it. Someone will have to give if there's going to be any spanking and tumbling. Sebastian is not only a mystery to her, but also to the reader. He has secrets, and he's keeping them close to his vest. Their chemistry doesn't really come to fruition until their first dinner date where he proves he is capable of having a proper conversation with her. Apparently that was the right card to play because before dessert, he's already making her an offer she can't and doesn't want to refuse.

Instantly he signalled [sic] the waitress. “I can’t wait until after dinner. I have to be inside you now.”


The sex ... wow! Ms Cross sure can write some scorching scenes. I liked that their first intimate encounter wasn't the usual series of events I've read over and over again; it was just a little different. Apparently our hero is not only good-looking, he's also got a tattoo, and he's extremely well endowed.

The story moves at a smooth pace, and like I said earlier, I liked the mysterious hero. There is some significance to his tattoo that he plays off, then there are bits and pieces of information that Sophia has managed to gather. As the reader I'm wondering if he's on the up and up or is he perhaps involved in some type of criminal activity? Does he have Mafia ties or something to that effect? I definitely want to know more about him and how their arrangement will work out for them. And of course I want to see what other wicked delights Sebastian has in store for her. I'll make sure to stock up on some ice for book #2.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )