stacey_is_sassy
Written on Mar 10, 2016
***4.5 Stars***
A high!! I got the HIGH!! Nothing makes a romance reader more excited than finding a book that leaves you on a high. Locked Box!!! Oh My Lordy!! Locked Box!!! One more time…LOCKED BOX!!!
Seriously…I had my reservations to start with. The blurb mentions the hero is… MARRIED!! Anyone who knows me knows that I FREAK OUT about cheating. I started this book which is from Julia’s POV thinking, Eve…Love…what are you doing to me? I was squinting at the pages trying to work it out and thinking I’ll just persevere…maybe it’s not what I’m thinking. The blurb clearly states that the hero is in the process of getting a divorce…but the heroine up to a certain point still thinks he’s married. WTH??? Then – we get his POV and I’m OK, things settle and I’m a happy camper again.
Now that I’ve explained my reservations…IT’S ALL GOOD!!! Seriously this book is HOT!! With a little bit of funny, some dirty talking and a man in uniform who gets off on being BOSSY!!
Stacey, chilllllll…no more capitals!!
Julia is a computer IT nerd with a few issues from her past. She grew up with no father a drunk and irresponsible mother and a sister. The sister is the only one left in her life now and she’s got a few issues of her own. Julia works at the local police station as an IT consultant whose main job is to fight computer viruses and keep the computers working. This is not her passion, though. She and her friend Tiff have created a computer game. Unfortunately, they can’t get it to the next level without some serious funding. Julia works at the police station until that can happen.
Max is a seriously hot police officer. Tall, dark and handsome is putting it mildly. He has his own brand of problems that make his world less than perfect. I really like Max and it could have (does have) to do with the fact that he talks dirty, and I mean really dirty (I wanted to use caps…but I held myself back). Not all the women he’s been with get (understand/like) his dirty talking, so he’s hesitant to unleash his powers in the bedroom. Imagine his surprise and delight when he finds a woman who asks for it.
Julia and Max have a history. There is absolute shock when Julia starts her new job and sees Max in the lunch room. Max is just as surprised but the two of them pretend they’ve never seen each other before. It’s not until later in the book we find out their history. Locked Box is not full of back and forths. We get a little glimpse, with enough to understand where these two are coming from.
There were times that I felt the heroine was a little door-matty and let him get away with too much, but I know that it was probably realistic. The heart can overpower logical thoughts. I also thought that the price was a little too high. Definitely one to keep an eye out for though.
Locked Box is set in Australia. This is the real Australia though. No kangaroos, koalas or emus are seen or talked about. No “G’day”, “mate” or “she’ll be right” in sight. Yes, there may be a few terms that will stump (confuse) an international reader, but in most cases it should be easy enough to work out the meaning. If you have any words that you can’t understand, please use the link at the bottom of my review for an Aussie slang dictionary.
I know I seem like I’m gushing, but I REALLY enjoyed this story. Eve Dangerfield has given me characters to love, sexy scenes that made my heart beat faster, a little angst to make it realistic and a love story that spanned years and needed to be told. The last page made my little heart sing.
I received a complimentary copy of Locked Box via the author for an honest review.
Australian Slang Dictionary - http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html
To buy Locked Box via Amazon - http://amzn.to/1SBHw5o
I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -