Review: Under Locke by Mariana Zapata

He was my boss, my brother’s friend, a Widower, an ex-felon, and a man I’d seen casually with a handful of women. But he was everything that gripped me, both the good and the bad. Worst case scenario if things turned awkward between us, I could go somewhere else. I’d gotten over epic heartbreak before, one more wouldn’t kill me. 

After moving to Austin following six months of unemployment back home, Iris Taylor knows she should be glad to have landed a job so quickly... even if the business is owned by a member of the same motorcycle club her estranged father used to belong to. Except Dex Locke might just be the biggest jerk she’s ever met. He’s rude, impatient and doesn’t know how to tell time.

And the last thing they ever expected was each other. 

But it was either the strip club or the tattoo shop. 

… she should have chosen the strip club.

ebook

Full-length novel

First-person, single POV.

No.

Yes.

What I Liked: 

Likeable characters, gorgeous tattooed men, loyal friends, second chances. The book makes it clear that family is what you make it not what you were born to and I love that. I also love stories with asshole alpha's with hidden soft pots and Dex fits that bill perfectly. 

What I Didn't Like: 

I didn't like how Iris handled situations she didn't like. I mean, Dex could be a complete dick at times and I'd be royally pissed with him too but the silent treatment thing for days and days no matter how severe or minor behaviour that triggered it drove me nuts. 

Other Thoughts:

Mariana Zapata is the queen of the slow burn romance and she writes beautifully. Her characters are developed to the point where they could be real people, living their lives with the books nothing more than a little window into their reality. I have loved every book of hers I have read and I highly recommend them with Under Locke being no exception.

“You’ve gotta be the best thing I never knew I wanted.” 

💬

“Babe, I've handpicked everythin' and everyone in here. I know what I want and I get what I want," he breathed. "And I keep what's mine.”

💬