Locked (Alpha Group #1) by Maya Cross

Who is Sebastian Lock?

The bar Sophia Pearce is in doesn’t look like much. The wine is bad and the decor worse. But when a sudden attack of curiosity leads her to sneak past security and into the back room, she discovers something unimaginable. The most lavish party she’s ever laid eyes on, in the most unlikely of places.

But that’s nothing compared to what comes next, to the man she meets back there. Sebastian Lock. Gorgeous, commanding, and radiating charm, he is exactly the sort of silver-tongued rake Sophia has sworn to avoid. Unfortunately, he doesn’t care much for her promises.

Every instinct tells her to run, but the chemistry between them is as inescapable as gravity. Soon, he’s opening her eyes to a whole new world of pleasures, pleasures she never thought she’d enjoy.

There’s just one problem. Sebastian is more than he seems. Between the famous company he keeps and the almost paranoid secrecy of his employers, he’s a puzzle Sophia can’t quite solve, and his insistence on keeping things casual forces her to confront the demons of her past.

Can she learn to trust again? Or will Sebastian’s privacy tear them apart?

Type: Supposed to be Erotica/BDSM
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 2 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Goodreads

Yeah. So, this was one of those reads where I'm left going what the hell? Did I read a *completely* different book than everyone else? No, really. Did I? Because I am totally missing it on this one. Locked was supposed to bring a mysterious hero...a smart heroine...kink and some nice heat and drama as the hero and heroine have an instant attraction and start smexing each other up. And...I didn't really get any of that. At all.

There was nothing wrong with the read--technically-- it's decently written and has an okay--though not too original storyline--of a heroine stumbling into a mysterious group and catching the eye of the super rich and kinky hero who is instantly taken with her and her vanilla self--but it was just underwhelming and left me going meh as the two dance around each other and hook up.

I didn't really buy into any of it from characters to setting or feel drawn into the supposed mystery that was Sebastian. Yes. He was hot as hell and he's got a wicked big cock he knows how to use and is...persistent and slightly arrogant. But he wasn't all that mysterious. At least not in a way that made me crave knowing more. And Sophia definitely did not come across as being a lawyer at a prestigious firm. She was more the college student feel of being just in the moment. Though I did love her penchant for the word fuck. She earned some points there ;) It's also--I think--set in Australia though other than a few mentions of Sydney could have been set...anywhere.

I don't know. I just. Meh.

It wasn't kinky. It wasn't really erotica. Other than they hook up without really knowing each other and the word clit is used. *omg clits!* The kink/bdsm was a little ass smacking and a little tie me up tie me down. Toss in the words Dom and submission and it's kinky apparently. The heroine mentioned mid point about how she was keeping his kink secret and I really sat there staring into space for a good solid minute trying to figure out what the kink was...because...really? Spanking his secretary was it? How...naughty!

So...not impressed with Locked. Which is a shame. I'd been looking forward to it. But this new trendy "erotica" and "bdsm" proved once again to not be for me. I'm old school apparently. But this one worked for lots of others so maybe it'll work for you. It is a cliffhanger though and to get the rest of the story 2 more installments at 3 bucks each are needed. And even the cliffhanger in this one...meh. Surely it'll turn into a big misunderstanding and overreaction on the heroines part. Or a *shrug* on the hero's part because he's a cocky kinky bastard after all. It's free though so if you want to try it won't cost a thing...

Do you like current trendy bdsm/erotica or are you more an old school pre-50 erotica reader?

Have you read Cross? Did it work for you?

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