Laura’s Review of Locked (The Alpha Group, #1) by Maya Cross

Synopsis

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?

Contains light BDSM, including spanking, restraint, and anal play

Note: This book is the first part of a trilogy that is designed to be read together, much like The Blackstone Affair. Sebastian and Sophia will get their happily ever after, but not until the last book. 

What I Loved

          From the very beginning this series was intriguing to say the least and that’s what I loved most about it. The minute you meet Sebastian Lock you want to unravel all his mysteries even if you know some of his secrets aren’t exactly happy ones.  Sophia sparks an interest in Sebastian and she did the same for me as well.  I loved that she was head strong when she needed to be, had a busy career of her own and her own life outside of Sebastian. 

          The chemistry between Sebastian and Sophia was alluring and kept me addicted to this book the entire time, needing to read more and more.  Anytime Sebastian put up his wall and wouldn’t let Sophia in, I couldn’t wait for her to tear it back down again.  Sebastian definitely has an allure to him that draws the reader in giving him or her a very sensual experience.

Not So Much

          I felt like the details were inconsistent in this entire book.  There was such wonderful description of Australia and all the different parts of Sydney and the restaurants which was great.  Yet, that same type of attention wasn’t paid to details about Sophia’s apartment or Sebastian’s as well.  There is a ton of description of what Sebastian’s looks and physical stature, but the same can’t be said about Sophia.  It really annoys me when things aren’t consistent and continual throughout a story, because it takes away from becoming completely engrossed and painting an entire picture. 

          The foundation of the story was a little shallow as well, I would’ve liked to have known more about Sophia, what her life has been like up until meeting Sebastian.  I know nothing about Sophia’s childhood, or what has made her the persons she is today.  It made me feel that the character development started in the middle rather than the beginning.

To Sum It All Up!

If you’re looking for a story similar to Fifty Shades of Grey with light BDSM then this is the story for you.  Sebastian is a stoic man who has many secrets, one night discovers a stranger sneaking in to his secret party, only to be intrigued by her and eventually become addicted.  The sexual chemistry between the main characters is palpable and I loved the sex scenes between these two.  The story was written really well, giving me a glimpse of Sydney from all the way on the other side of the world.  I do wish those details carried through to other parts of the story and that more of a foundation was developed but I still enjoyed reading it and can’t wait to see what happens next. There was a little bit of a cliff hanger, so if you hate those be ready for it and get ready to read the next one immediately.