Review and Giveaway: Lockout: Maya Cross
This is not a standalone story.
It is the sequel to Locked,
which should be read first.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Locked: Goodreads/Amazon/B&N
Who is Sebastian Lock?
Sophia had never felt attraction like that before. Raw. Electric. Irresistible. Swept off her feet by the dashing, enigmatic billionaire Sebastian Lock, she was taken on a journey of self-discovery, taken to places she never dreamed she’d go.
But things are never as simple as they appear. Sophia’s trust is a fragile thing, and Sebastian seems insistent on testing it. He has his own demons to battle, and nobody has brought them to the fore like she has.
As their relationship deepens, and Sophia begins to break down his walls, all that greets her are more questions. Why is Sebastian fighting so hard to keep her at a distance? Who is the girl on the background of his phone? And why does the strange tattoo on his chest seem so familiar?
These puzzles plague her, but as Sebastian’s mysteries begin to unravel, she must face an entirely different truth. Staying in the dark may be painful, but finding the answers could be deadly.
Who is Sebastian Lock?
Sophia had never felt attraction like that before. Raw. Electric. Irresistible. Swept off her feet by the dashing, enigmatic billionaire Sebastian Lock, she was taken on a journey of self-discovery, taken to places she never dreamed she’d go.
But things are never as simple as they appear. Sophia’s trust is a fragile thing, and Sebastian seems insistent on testing it. He has his own demons to battle, and nobody has brought them to the fore like she has.
As their relationship deepens, and Sophia begins to break down his walls, all that greets her are more questions. Why is Sebastian fighting so hard to keep her at a distance? Who is the girl on the background of his phone? And why does the strange tattoo on his chest seem so familiar?
These puzzles plague her, but as Sebastian’s mysteries begin to unravel, she must face an entirely different truth. Staying in the dark may be painful, but finding the answers could be deadly.
See Kims' review of Book one: Locked
Teaser:
As the
first song ended, the music changed. The new tune was slower, more sultry, and
Sebastian was quick to adapt. A delicate twist of his wrist and I was spinning
away, then suddenly snapping backwards to rest against him once more, this time
with my back against his chest. With torturous softness, his hands began to
trace their way across my sides and down my thighs, flirting with the hem of my
dress. Such intimacy in a public place should have made me balk, but the
sensuality in the air was infectious. I was utterly lost in the moment. I could
feel his breath hot on my skin as his lips teased the air just above my neck,
tantalising but never touching. With every vacillation of our hips my ass
grazed against his pants, letting me know that I wasn’t the only one finding
this to be a powerfully erotic experience.
"I still didn't understand what had transpired between us. For someone so intent on keeping his distance, the lengths he'd gone to seemed excessive. He was a puzzle, and despite my best efforts, it looked like I'd get a little more time to solve him after all."
This is the continuing exploration of Sebastian and Sophia's relationship. This book starts right where LOCKED left off. They are dealing with the repercussions of the misunderstanding that left us hanging. And then they have other issues to conquer including separation, fear, insecurities, work issues, and secrets.
Maya Cross is a writer who enjoys making people blush. Growing up with a mother who worked in a book store, she read a lot from a very young age, and soon enough picked up a pen of her own. Her previous work spans many genres including horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and she has now started this pen name as an outlet for her spicier thoughts (they were starting to overflow). She likes her heroes strong but mysterious, her encounters sizzling, and her characters true to life. She believes in writing familiar narratives told with a twist, so most of her stories will feel comfortable, but hopefully a little unique. Whatever genre she's writing, finding a fascinating concept is the first, and most important step.
Other
couples were throwing propriety to the wind too. Several men swept passed us
with open shirts, their chests glistening with sweat, their partners slicing
the air with their skirts like fans. One woman had shed her top all together
and was twisting from side to side in just her bra like a belly dancer. All
around the room, people were laughing and clapping and cheering in time with
the beat. I’d never been part of such an unrestrained expression of joy before.
“You look
stunning,” Sebastian breathed into my ear.
“Do I
now?” I replied.
“You do.
Although it might have something to do with the fact that everything you’re
doing right now, I’m imaging you doing it naked.”
I laughed.
“Is that so? Well then, I probably shouldn’t do this.” Slipping free of his
grip, I turned once more and began to glide around him in a slow circle,
swaying my hips provocatively and dragging my hands slowly up and down my body.
A low,
masculine sound escaped his throat. “God, I can only restrain myself so much,
Sophia.”
I
grinned, but didn’t stop. It was thrilling putting on that kind of show for him
in the middle of a crowded room. I could see the outline of his excitement
pressing urgently against his pants. The truth was, with all the electricity
that was coursing through my veins, I wasn’t sure I wanted him to restrain
himself. I’d had the elaborate foreplay, now I wanted what that promised.
"I still didn't understand what had transpired between us. For someone so intent on keeping his distance, the lengths he'd gone to seemed excessive. He was a puzzle, and despite my best efforts, it looked like I'd get a little more time to solve him after all."
This is the continuing exploration of Sebastian and Sophia's relationship. This book starts right where LOCKED left off. They are dealing with the repercussions of the misunderstanding that left us hanging. And then they have other issues to conquer including separation, fear, insecurities, work issues, and secrets.
Sophia is getting a little too attached to Sebastian despite her own internal warnings and those of others. Sebastian does not do relationships. He never kept that a secret. They continue to explore their dom/sub tendencies and are perfectly matched at least sexually. They are hot and passionate. Their ideas of what they are to each other do not always seem to mesh. And you know it is eventually going to come crashing down on them.
"It's not just about the time! It's everything; the way you act, the way you talk to me. It's like there are two different Sebastians. Some days I get the kind, sweet, intensely passionate man who makes me feel wonderful, and other days it's his evil twin who barely wants to do anything but f**k, and who ignores me for weeks on end."
"It's complicated. I'm complicated."
"You terrify me, Sophia. I've never felt so consumed by another person before.And every time we see each other, it's like I lose another piece of myself in you."
But slowly we start to see more of what makes Sebastian tick as he begins to open up. I really enjoyed getting to see the real Sebastian behind the mask and more out of control. He is intense, passionate, loving, and sweet at times. They are actually really good for each other. And just when walls start to crumble and it seems that there could be more feelings involved and a chance for them to be more than just a fling, they face more challenges. Sebastian is hiding more than just his heart. He has secrets and he cannot seem to share. There seems to be a hidden danger alluded to and it adds a dynamic of suspense to the story.
"Everything you saw was real, Sophia. I'm a lot of things that might not be easy to understand, but I'm also the same man I was a few days ago."
What exactly goes on behind his business? Can she handle only knowing part of his life or will it be a deal breaker? Will being involved with Sebastian put Sophia in danger?
And of course, since this is a trilogy and we have known it from the start, she leaves us with another big old cliffhanger. Ugh! The heartache, the drama, the suspense. I need the next one now! I am really looking forward to seeing where all of this goes in the final book UNLOCKED due out in July.
Thanks to Maya Cross for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Maya Cross is a writer who enjoys making people blush. Growing up with a mother who worked in a book store, she read a lot from a very young age, and soon enough picked up a pen of her own. Her previous work spans many genres including horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and she has now started this pen name as an outlet for her spicier thoughts (they were starting to overflow). She likes her heroes strong but mysterious, her encounters sizzling, and her characters true to life. She believes in writing familiar narratives told with a twist, so most of her stories will feel comfortable, but hopefully a little unique. Whatever genre she's writing, finding a fascinating concept is the first, and most important step.
The Alpha Group is her first attempt at erotic romance. When she's not writing, she's playing tennis, trawling her home town of Sydney for new inspiration, and drinking too much coffee. She loves to hear from readers, so please feel free to follow her on any of her social media channels. And don't forget to check out her website. You can sign up to her mailing list there, to hear about new releases and any promotional sales she might be running.
Maya is giving away an ecopy set of both books Locked and Lockout!
1 comments
Thank you for this review and this giveaway!!!! I really want to win this I want to read Lockout so Bad!!!!!
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